


Over The Dark Side

by Basmathgirl



Series: Whispers Over The Dark Side [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Character Death, Childbirth, F/M, Pregnancy, Pregnant Sex, Sexual Content, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-28
Updated: 2013-12-26
Packaged: 2017-11-27 05:34:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 47,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/658527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basmathgirl/pseuds/Basmathgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in an AU where Donna and the second Doctor have a moment together. A moment that would have far reaching consequences for them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Whispers In The Dark

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these Doctor Who characters but that doesn’t stop me loving them.  
>  **A/N:** This is what you get when you wake up from a migraine sleep with a fic begging to be written.

There had been something between them from the very start; it is corny to say there had been a spark (and an extremely bad pun) but it’s true. As the second Doctor appeared from the metacrisis naked on the TARDIS floor, Donna had tried not to look, she really had, but sometimes things present themselves to be looked at; and boy did he deserve to be looked at! 

“Donna!” he had gasped. 

“Clothes!” she had replied; and they’d both blushed simultaneously. 

“I’ll just go… and get…” He pointed to where the bedrooms lay. 

“Can you get us out of here first?” She desperately kept her eyes above chest height, making him smirk knowingly. 

“Will do!” He beamed as he leant over the console, adjusted some levers and pushed the dematerialise button. “Celebration hug?” he asked Donna as he turned from the console. 

“Doctor! You’re still naked!” squeaked Donna; causing him to make a hasty retreat. 

Returning booted and suited, he had replaced all the broken roundels, and dropped his bombshell about having only one heart, how disgusting it was to be human, and how he knew exactly what Donna was thinking. 

“Don’t, Doctor, please!” she had begged; and he knew instantly why she suffered so. 

He also knew something else; something that had lain hidden as a guilty secret deep in her heart. He recognised it because it now lay within his own. “Donna, this weapon might not work, and you know what that means don’t you?” 

Donna nodded. “We’ll all die,” she stated softly. 

He nodded too, and swallowed slowly. “If I… if we… I want you to know…” The second Doctor couldn’t wrench his gaze away from her troubled blue eyes. 

“What, Spaceman?” She placed a consoling hand on his arm. 

“This..” He launched himself at her, kissing her passionately; kissing her for all he was worth, because this might be his only chance in his short life to tell her how he felt. 

To his delight and relief she kissed back with as much fervour. Kiss after kiss they shared, as if their lives depended on it, like drowning people; and in a way that was true. 

“Wow! I never expected that!” she exclaimed as the second Doctor moved from her lips to claim her neck. “Oi! Don’t give me a love bite!” she admonished him, as he giggled against her skin. 

“Sorry! I couldn’t resist!” he defended himself. “I want everyone to know you’re mine.” 

“But I don’t think I am,” she told him forlornly. “Or at least, I don’t think I’m allowed to see you as mine.” 

“Oh Donna!” He captured her lips again; trying to prove that he would always be her’s. “He probably has plans for me, but I’m going to fight them. I promise I’ll try and stay with you.” He pulled slightly away to regard her, “My beautiful Donna, I…” 

She placed a finger against his lips to halt his words. “Don’t say it… please! I couldn’t bare it.” 

“It that case, it’s time to get this show on the road. Are you ready?” He waited for her nod before punching in the correct coordinates and sending them back to the Crucible to face certain death.

~o0o~

The Children of Time were all smiling gleefully at each other as the TARDIS towed the Earth back to its correct trajectory in the universe. Donna walked around and complimented Jack, hoping the tease would hit its intended target across the console. It did, and the second Doctor sauntered over from beside Rose to stand with her; the pair of them smirking together. What they didn’t realise was that the Doctor was carefully watching them too.

The second Doctor leant over and whispered in her ear, “While he’s dropping Jack and Martha off why don’t we go and have our own thing?” He gave her the tiniest of eyebrow waggles, but she saw it nonetheless. 

Donna momentarily grasped his hand, and he immediately got the answer he wanted through their connection. It was so strong now that her Time Lord mind had been activated. He grinned impishly at her. “You really want to do that?” 

She grinned equally naughtily back at him. “I think it can be arranged.” 

They were both unaware the Doctor had caught the strains of their conversation.

~o0o~

The TARDIS halted, and while the Doctor said his goodbyes to Jack and Martha outside, Micky, Rose and Jackie were saying theirs inside. The second Doctor and Donna crept off unnoticed. They made their way to Donna’s bedroom.

As soon as the door was shut and locked they lunged at each other; followed by a flurry of clothing being removed, and then them lying naked on her bed. “Do you think anyone noticed?” Donna asked him as he paid careful attention to her breasts. 

“I don’t care,” he mumbled, as he enjoyed the sensations pulsing through his body. “I just want you!” 

Donna threw her head back in ecstasy. She had never had such an intense sexual moment with anyone before; and this was way beyond good, this was bloody fantastic! She couldn’t wait to find out what actual intercourse was going to be like with him. 

“I’m getting there! Mrs Impatient!” he mocked her. “I’m enjoying your breasts while I can.” 

She swatted him on the arm. “Bloody get on with it, Mr Smug, otherwise I’ll withdraw your privileges.” 

“You wouldn’t do that, you love me too much!” he beamed up at her. “But I’m willing to share some of my pleasures!” With that he suddenly lifted and entered her; and they both gasped at the sensation. It was overwhelming, frightening and beautiful all at the same time. 

“I can feel you… not just like that, so wipe that grin off your face! I mean, I can see… blimey! Do you really think that?” Her eyes filled with tears as she stared into his eyes. 

He simply nodded, so she did the only thing that felt right; she snogged the living daylights out of him. 

Taking that as his cue, he began to move and she undulated with him. It may have been their first time, but it was a magnificent first time; and they both panted through their joint climax, along with a few shouts, groans and screams. They continued kissing; they just couldn’t get enough of each other. As they lay together, sated, they stroked and petted each other. 

“He’s sending me away,” he stated as calmly as he could. 

“I know,” Donna replied. There wasn’t much else she could say. “We don’t have much more time, do we…,” she shuddered, “I don’t even know what name to give you!” 

“I’m the Doctor,” he tried out, but realised it wasn’t enough for her. “Though you can call me anything you like!” He kissed her again for good measure. 

“Anything?” She quirked an eyebrow. “Hmmm… how about Snuffle Bunny?” 

“Yeah, that sounds wonderfully masculine; thanks for that!” he scoffed. 

“Or something like Bodonna, meaning son of Donna in Welsh?” she offered. 

“You do realise what that’d be shortened to, don’t you?” he laughed. 

“Bo?” she asked hopefully, and they dissolved into a fit of giggles. 

“So I’m your son eh? That makes this more than a bit Oedipal!” He screwed his face up in disgust. 

“Since you’re all freckly, how about Bryce?” Donna mused. 

“How about we give up the ghost on this since I can’t decide anything beyond you.” He gazed intently at her, and then sensually kissed her. 

She reciprocated, pulling him back on top of her. They continued to embrace as he reclaimed her willing body. Both knew this was their last proper embrace, and they clung to each other, giving themselves freely with each passionate kiss.

~o0o~

By the time they stepped out onto the beach at Bad Wolf Bay the second Doctor had deliberately closed himself off from Donna. He could feel her agony on the edge of his mind, but he knew he had to ignore it for both their sakes; and then there was the pain when he felt her sweep away from him. It was done.

He stood, begging forgiveness with his eyes, feeling rather than knowing she understood. They were merely pawns in the game Life played with the Universe. 

He listened to Donna tell Rose the scheme of things; the way Rose replied; and then he stepped up and said the words he was programmed to say. The kiss was different to those earlier in the day. This kiss was colder, but he told himself to believe, because that was all he had. And then she was gone. 

He watched the TARDIS dematerialise out of his life; and he told himself that second best was okay.

~o0o~

Donna forced herself to enter the TARDIS, grabbing one last look. Then the doors closed firmly behind her. She walked slowly up to the Doctor at the console, and softly asked him, “Is it still onwards and upwards?”

He blinked at her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?” Donna frowned. “I don’t think I’ve left anything out.” 

“Yes you have.” He advanced on her. “About you and the clone.”

“Don’t call him that! He is a real person!” Donna huffed. “Is that the name you and your girlfriend came up with, eh? I pity the poor bugger!”

“She isn’t my girlfriend, she’s my friend and ex-companion; you know that!” he fumed. 

“Is she? I would have never known that with the way you were moping about her when we first met!” She could feel her anger growing, and she tried to bite down on it. 

“Things were different then,” he muttered sheepishly.

“Come here, you prawn.” She opened her arms to hug him, and he flew into her embrace. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into her hair. And he gave her an extra squeeze. 

“Why? What have you done to be sorry for now?” she breathed back. She rubbed his neck. “She’ll be happy now.” 

“I wasn’t thinking about her. I was… I’m sorry you lost him,” he told her quietly. 

She pulled back in shock. “You knew! But we didn’t…”

“Time Lord, Donna. I can hear, see and feel things other people can’t. And I saw you two together,” he explained. 

“You _knew_ , and you still sent him away… with _her_?” Donna tried to move away but he tightened his grip on her arms. “Why? Why did you want to hurt me so much?” The tears she had within her welled up and overtook her. 

“She deserved him. She’d crossed universes to find me,” he stuttered out.

But Donna was _not_ impressed, no sir! “She deserved him, did she? He was _mine_ , not hers! What the hell do you think you were playing at? I trusted you to make the right choice for the universes’ sake and that’s your reason? And what about me? Do I get cast off now as well? I’ve served my purpose, I suppose; bought your girlfriend some happiness, saved everyone, helped pilot your TARDIS, and now the packet is empty so I have to be binned!” 

“No, Donna! You don’t understand. I’m not casting you off.” He looked frustratedly at her. 

“How would you say it then, because we both know I’m heading out that door in a minute!” She sobbed uncontrollably now. “I know you don’t want me anymore.” 

“Donna,” his voice was barely above a whisper. He wiped away some of her tears. “What makes you think that? I don’t want you to go.” 

She lifted her eyes to his. “But I’m going anyway… right? I may not be able to think straight right now but I do know that.”

“I’ll find a way, my love, I promise. I’ll bring you back here.” 

Tears dripped down his face too and Donna realised the awful truth. 

“He felt it because you felt it,” she stated. “I thought it was only…” 

“No, it wasn’t only you,” he confirmed. “I wanted to…” He caressed her bottom lip with his thumb. 

She reached up and placed a gentle kiss upon his lips. “You can collect the rest later; once you’ve sorted this…,” she waved at her head, “…all out.” 

He reluctantly released her, and waited for the downward spiral to manifest.

~o0o~

He watched her sleep on her bed as Wilf hovered nearby. She had promised him forever, and he had promised a return to the TARDIS. This wasn’t finished; oh no!

As he made his way down the stairs he knew that they would all be back together. He’d seen it in the time lines.


	2. Holding Back The Light

He awoke alone in his darkened room. He fumbled across the sheets, seeking the bodily warmth he still missed after all this time. Then depression rested on his soul; he was without her, it had been another vivid dream. 

She had been standing at a sink, (peeling potatoes of all things!) and he had come up behind her, wrapping his long arms around her waist, kissing her neck whilst luxuriating in her scent. “Donna, my love,” he had whispered sultrily into her skin, before crushing her body back against his arousal. He wanted her to know how much he wanted her; how much he needed her!

She had giggled, wiggling her bottom to frustrate him. “Back again!” she had said, huffing in pretend annoyance. “I can’t seem to keep you away.”

“I’ll always come back to you, you know I will,” he replied as he placed tender kisses across her nape, getting delighted shivers in reply.

She had begun to turn in his embrace. “Then why can’t I…,” she tried to say; and that was the point when he woke up. He _always_ woke up when she tried to see him! He banged his fist down on the mattress in anger. Bloody metacrisis! He could have drained it from her, he knew he could have! If only he had been given the chance, instead of following that _stupid_ plan on that stupid beach!

He ran his hands down his face, unsurprised to find tears there. He couldn’t carry on like this. He had to be with her! Whatever it took he was determined he’d get back, and bugger the consequences!

“Are you awake yet?!” cried the harsh voice of Rose from outside his doorway.

“Be there in a minute!” he called back. Damn! He would have to explain, again, why he looked so knackered. Great! That meant another argument on the way to work, more angry questions, more being accused of being a mere shadow, more regrets, and more of that petulant behaviour that had seemed so cute at one time but really grated on his nerves now.

He managed to calmly get out of his bed and make his way to the bathroom.

~o0o~

Donna woke up on the kitchen floor. It took her a few moments to remember why she was in the kitchen and not in her bed; she’d been preparing dinner. It had been like fainting, and then again not! It was all so vivid.

She could smell aftershave. She sniffed; definitely aftershave! She _knew_ that aftershave, because it was worn by _him_. It was his favourite. He almost always wore it. Hang on! How did she know that? How did she know it was his favourite and he’d worn it especially for her? The others hadn’t liked it. The other who? She shook her head, trying to make the jigsaw pieces slot into place.

She’d almost caught a glimpse of him this time. He had held her possessively and lovingly; like she was his as much as he was hers. Why had she placed a hand over her heart? And why did she feel that by doing so it kept her connected to him?

Donna crawled across the kitchen floor to peer at her reflection in the oven door. There was no obvious sign of blood dripping from her head or anything else that could account for her hallucinating like that.

The sound of the front door banging shut awoke her from her reverie. “Gramps? Is that you?” she wailed from her position on the floor in front of the cooker.

“Donna? Where are you?” Wilf rushed in to find her looking dazed. “Oh my gawd! What happened to you, my girl?”

“I think… it happened again, Gramps!” she told him forlornly. She began to silently weep. He bent low and offered her a hanky before hugging her close to him.

“There there! Gramps will make it all right,” he told her soothingly. He stroked her hair to comfort her. “Was it the same thing this time? That man?” When she nodded he hid his worried expression.

~o0o~

“Well, you see, Doctor Noble, the way this has been transfigured could cause an energy surge,” the senior technician complained to him, holding up the device under his nose, hoping for some confirmation that this particular device should be scrapped or taken back to the drawing board at the very least.

“Mr Solomon, I understand your misgivings, but this device will not blow up the whole building, nor will it damage you by exploding in your face. It is perfectly safe!” he insisted.

“Why are you so sure, Doctor?” Solomon looked unconvinced, but hid most of his disbelief well.

“Because _I_ designed it!” he boasted.

“But this contains part of an alien artefact that we discovered after it came through the Rift!” Solomon protested.

“And your point is?” he countered. “Let’s just say that I’ve had my moments!” He smiled enigmatically.

~o0o~

Bliss! He was back with her! Lying on a blanket in a park, apparently on a picnic of some sort, on a gloriously sunny day. And best of all, he was lying face to face for the first time since… He leant forward and carefully placed a kiss upon her lips, making her smile; a big beamy smile. “Why the sunglasses, my love?” he asked. He had to know.

“Because the bloody sun insists on trying to burn my eyeballs out!” she replied. She threaded her hands up his back, onto his shoulders, “Which means that I still can’t see you properly. Why can’t I ever see you?”

“I don’t know; but I’m grateful that I can see you properly,” he replied, grinning down her. He knew she could feel his delight through their connection. He was determined to make the most of this opportunity, and he began to kiss her sensually, feeling their passion slowly build. “I want you,” he gruffly told her, “I need you!”

“Not here!” she gasped. “They’ll see us!”

“I’m not convinced they can. Have they seen me before when I’ve visited you?” he argued.

Donna thought slowly, assessing each occasion. “No. I don’t think they have ever seen you! Each time I’ve been left feeling like a kid with their imaginary friend.”

He tenderly kissed her closed eyes, carefully replacing her sunglasses. “I’m so sorry, my love. I’ve almost worked out how to return to you. I promise I’m trying as hard as I can!”

“I know you are,” she murmured. “I just wish…” She hugged him tighter and stole another kiss.

He giggled. “In that case, let me prove to you that I do exist, even if it’s only in our minds.” He didn’t give her a chance to reply verbally, as he carried out his intention of loving her whilst he could. This time when they both faded away he could still hear her moans of delight and that little yelpy thing she did as she climaxed.

~o0o~

“Donna? Are you alright?” a very concerned face asked her. “You were making the weirdest noises as you slept!”

“She wasn’t sleeping, you idiot! It was one of her funny turns!” spat out a recognisable voice. The one that belonged to her mother.

“I don’t know! Was I making…?” she mumbled. Donna blinked wildly at her mother and her new boyfriend. 

“Shaun! Help her sit up!” ordered Sylvia. “She’ll be a bit out of it for a while yet.”

Donna swept her gaze around the park landscape, desperately seeking for… who was it again? He’d come back, loving her, making her feel like the most important person in the universe; in his universe.

“What you looking for, pet?” Shaun asked her. 

“He… where did…,” she stammered.

“Oh, not him, again!” Sylvia griped. “I thought you’d outgrown him!”

“Who?” Shaun questioned her. He frowned in confusion, and clasped Donna’s hand protectively.

“Her imaginary friend,” Sylvia sarcastically told him. “She keeps saying that sort of thing when she comes round.”

Donna blushed, and hung her head from their joint gaze. “It doesn’t matter,” she muttered, relieved that they had decided that too.

~o0o~

He sat at his desk, a magnifying glass strapped to his head, tinkering with his device. He used precision tweezers to tweak a mechanical setting, and it hummed into life. “Yes!” he mutely cheered.

“Doctor Noble? Is that you?” Millie the cleaner appeared in his Torchwood office doorway. “Why don’t you go home, dearie?” she asked him. “Your girlfriend must be missing you.”

He gave her a shy smile. “Yes she is! But I’ll be back with her soon, and this little beauty will take me there.”

Millie looked sceptically at the device on the desk. “That small thing? It going to beam you up to your ship, is it?” She chuckled at her own joke.

“It’s going to take me further than that,” he told her. He grinned broadly. It was the first genuine smile she’d ever seen on his face. “It’s going to take me to another universe, Millie!”

“Blimey!” Millie laughed and leant on her mop. “That’s a long way to go for your holidays. Don’t forget to take your bucket and spade!” And she was gratified when he laughed with her.

~o0o~

The mallet came crashing down, missed the lever and hurt his thumb square on. “Bugger!” the Doctor cursed.

At that moment the display screen on the console went into overdrive. “What?” he grumbled, and moved to take a closer look. “What?!” He peered intently at the message the TARDIS was flashing up. “You are kidding me!”

He pulled out a keyboard and began tapping anxiously. The results on the screen remained the same. There was something trying to hone in on this universe from a point that shouldn’t be doing so. The Doctor banged the side of the screen with his uninjured hand. “What the hell is he playing at?!” he exclaimed. “Does he even know what he is doing?”

He rummaged underneath the console, looking for a particular tool, but it wasn’t there. “Okay, where have you hidden it?” he asked his ship. “And don’t pretend you can’t hear me!” But the TARDIS remained silent.

“If you won’t help me I’ll go look myself. Just… no funny business!” he threatened the TARDIS; but she had other plans as he wandered off.


	3. The Light and the Dark

Donna sat in her mother’s kitchen feeling like a total idiot. Sylvia was deep in conversation with Wilf, telling him about Donna’s latest episode in the park. At least Wilf didn’t genuinely join in her laughter; instead, he viewed Donna with a sideways glance, and didn’t like what he saw.

She was slumped over a cooling cup of tea, fidgeting slightly in the kitchen chair. Agitation rolled off her in waves. Why couldn’t his girl be happy? He thought of Shaun and wondered for the umpteenth time if he’d be her salvation (he really hoped Shaun wouldn’t be her damnation). Or would the Doctor return and find a way of saving her? Wilf sent a silent prayer heavenwards, just in case.

Finally, Donna spoke. So softly it was hard to hear her at first, but Wilf noticed nevertheless. “It’s alright Mum. And that’s not special code for anything.”

“Special code?” Wilf found himself asking before he could stop himself. He was usually so careful about possible connections to the Doctor.

“Special code for completely doolally!” Sylvia scoffed. “Donna, you need to find a new hobby or interest. You’ve got Shaun now in your life; I’m sure he’d make a go of it with you. He might even marry you if you’re lucky!”

“Yeah, perhaps he will,” Donna agreed reluctantly; and Wilf’s heart sunk lower at her apathetic tone.

~o0o~

He hid himself in his bedroom, away from the prying eyes of Rose, away from her endless questions and need to monopolise his attention. Why couldn’t she just leave him alone? Yes, he got it! He wasn’t her Doctor; he wasn’t the one! Things had been fine between them whilst he agreed to play the pretend game but when he’d rejected her advances all hell had broken loose.

Part of it was his fault, he freely admitted that. He’d been aware of her growing interest in him on board the TARDIS but had ignored it in light of ‘the plan’, thinking at least something was in place; but then Donna had enticed him with that flirty nonsense with Jack… and the rest was history! God knew how many times he’d replayed that scene in his memories, but it could bear repeating, many times over. That brief interlude in Donna’s bedroom was the reason he hadn’t gone insane in this universe. It kept his mind and body focused; and he was so close now to replaying for real.

The knock on his door made him jump. “What are you doing in there? Are you hiding from me?”

“I’m just reading!” he called back. “It’s a boring report Solomon gave me. You’re welcome to read it too!” He hoped that would throw her off the scent.

“Okay, I’ll leave you to it,” came Rose’s forlorn voice. “Try and hurry up would you? I’m bored out here.”

“Will do!” he responded. “If you’re good I’ll make you a cuppa.”

He could hear the smile in her voice. “Don’t be too long!” And then her footsteps petered away.

He really did have a talent for this being nice and lying lark. People believed him left, right and centre! He shouldn’t exploit it, but it was so tempting. Especially now, when it stopped him being verbally attacked by Rose whenever the fancy took her; and it had taken her fancy quite a lot when he’d first arrived there.

Why did she expect him to be exactly like the Doctor? A brief glimpse in the mirror told him the answer to that one; but it was more than that. He felt truly sorry for her; after all that effort it must be shattering to be sent right back without hardly a thought. He knew that wasn’t exactly true; the Doctor had thought about it good and hard! But Rose didn’t know that. Good job she didn’t considering the real reason for the Doctor’s choice!

And that thought sent him right back to Donna. Oh Donna! He had such a brief time with you; did he make the most of it? Did he tell you? Did you tell him? He really hoped Donna hadn’t told the Doctor her true feelings because that would mean…. No, he wasn’t superfluous in her life, he knew he wasn’t! She’d kissed him, not the Doctor! She’d lain with him, they’d made love; he was willing to bet she’d done none of that with the Doctor.

So why was he worried? Why did he feel so threatened? It wasn’t as if she would choose the Doctor over him, was it? He considered his broken expression in the mirror. Hell, he was in trouble! If he couldn’t have Donna then he didn’t want to live; it was as simple as that. The answer then was simple: he had to get back to her.

With renewed vigour, he picked up his device and his watchmaker tools. He knew where to go: third star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.

~o0o~

Donna found herself in an unfamiliar darkened room, but with a familiar presence. “Are you there?” she asked hesitantly. She felt him come up behind her and loosely embrace her.

“You came!” he breathed into her ear. He began to place small kisses against the back of her neck. “I was so worried this wouldn’t work.”

“Why? What have you planned?” she enquired, desperate in her need to turn and face him but frightened to in case he immediately vanished.

“I thought… I mean… I want to be with you but you can’t see me.” He waited for her to nod in agreement. “So I arranged my room to be almost totally dark for you to visit me here for a change.” He felt her shiver in delight at his words. “I’m going to extinguish the last remaining light so that we’ll be in total darkness. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes! I’m very willing to try this,” she replied, sure that he could hear her heart beating faster at the thought of spending more quality time with him.

“I’m moving away slightly, but I’m not far. Are you still okay?” he spoke from a few feet away now.

“I’m okay, don’t worry about me!” she begged. She shut her eyes in anticipation as the last tiny light went out. “Are you there? Did it work?” she whispered loudly.

He caught her floundering hand in his firm grasp. “I’m here. It worked!” he almost wanted to cry with relief.

They fumbled in the darkness to caress each other, and he felt her hands cup his face. “How long have we got?” she gently asked.

“No idea,” he told her as he sought out her lips. “But let’s make the most of it.”

She giggled as he pulled her down onto the bed; the squeak the mattress gave as they landed was not encouraging. “Why do beds always do that?” she snickered.

“Shall we see how much noise we can get it to make?” he mischievously asked her. “We’ll prove this isn’t a dream one way or another!”

“You cheeky bugger!” she exclaimed. “You’ll be suggesting getting me pregnant next at this rate!”

“Now that _is_ a good idea!” he laughed. “I’ll have to get you out of these clothes first, of course.”

“Are you sure that’s all you’ll have to do?” she transferred from having opened his shirt and began to unbuckle his belt. “I think an important element is missing.”

“Is it?” he distracted himself by unhooking her bra. “I think one or two elements need my careful consideration; that bit’s true.”

He made a strange sound as she unzipped his trousers with more than a mild fondle. “Was that you? I’m ever so sorry. Was I not allowed to consider a few things myself?”

“Consider away if that makes you happy too,” he magnanimously offered. “And I’ll quietly be over here,” he thrust his hand into her knickers in a most unconvincing way.

“You? Quiet? You have got to be kidding!” she scoffed.

“Yeah, I did say we’d be noisy this time, didn’t I?” his smug tone would have told her he was grinning broadly if she hadn’t been aware of his every emotion.

“I don’t recall us not being noisy the other times,” she pointed out.

“We weren’t were we? Ooh! In that case, we can’t let the side down and leave out the noisiness, can we?” he reasoned.

“Definitely not; we owe it to ourselves to…,” she kissed her way down his chest, “…make as much…,” she kissed across his stomach, “…noise as we possibly can.” She kissed across his groin, setting his skin on fire with desire. She _liked_ playing this game!

Fearful that he wouldn’t last as long as he wanted to, he placed his hands on her head to bring her lips back up to his. “God, I wish you knew how much I want you! Too much to just talk about this,” he captured her lips in a sensual, passionate kiss, and turned them so that he was on top. “You’re so beautiful! Even in the dark you stun me with your beauty and how much I love you!”

“Don’t say that! Don’t say what you don’t mean,” she pleaded with him.

“How can you think I don’t?” he questioned. “Let me help you see what you mean to me,” with that he smothered her face with kisses and gently entered her.

“Oh my God! I’d forgotten… how much… I didn’t…,” she sobbed. “I’ve missed you so much!”

“I know, my love, I know,” he consoled her before they kissed and shared their love once again. This time when they finished they were able to snuggle together and fall asleep. It was the happiest moment in his life so far. He didn’t think he could love this woman any more than he did.

“Do you think I will still be here when we wake up?” Donna had asked him before they drifted off.

He shook his head against her neck in answer, and they wiped the tears from each other’s cheeks as they clung together.

~o0o~

The Doctor glared at the readings on the monitor again. “What?!” he exclaimed. “He didn’t do it again, surely? Doesn’t he know how stupid this is?!”

The TARDIS flickered her lights at him. “It’s no good you taking his side! He knows the rules and he…,” his anger faltered as the readings were refreshed. Instead, he muttered, “You lucky bugger!”

He tore his gaze away from what he guessed was happening. Jealousy rose like bile in his throat, and he fought hard to keep it down. Without knowing his own intentions he ran from the console to seek solace from somewhere, anywhere; and found himself standing in Donna’s old bedroom. It looked so empty now, devoid of any item save a few knickknacks that had been collected on an alien world. And the photo; the photo of them taken from the Oodsphere security camera. The photo that had made them laugh so much because it showed them telling the PR woman they weren’t married. They looked so incredibly cheesy in it, grinning like idiots. The Doctor hugged the photo to his chest and did something he hadn’t done in ages: he sobbed his hearts out.


	4. Turn From the Dark Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** There’s a slight nod to the possible plot bunny that sparked the book “Persuasion”

He awoke to the gentle light of a new day, and to an inevitably half-empty bed. This time when he anxiously felt for her lingering warmth he was not despondent to find her gone; well, not as much as normal. His gaze fell upon his device and he grinned with satisfaction. It had worked! It had brought her to him and not the other way around; it meant he could control this phenomenon, even if it was a small victory. And best of all: the universe had not imploded.

He scratched his scalp and wondered if the Doctor was aware of his achievement. What was he saying? Of course the Doctor knew! The TARDIS would have informed him the second the chink between the universes was exploited. He sat up and examined his reflection in the wardrobe door, thinking how affected the Doctor might have been, and his face darkened in sympathy.

Rose burst in at that moment, brandishing a cup of tea. “Oh! You’re awake! I thought after all that noise you were making last night you might have trouble getting up,” she smiled at him. “I would have come in and woke you from your nightmare; but after you shouted at me that time…”

He dipped his head, ran his hand down his face, and plastered on a smile to greet her with. “I don’t need you to wake me from my dreams. We’ve been over this time and time again. I appreciate the thought, but the action is completely unnecessary,” he told her softly.

“I know! But you sounded like you were in such pain,” she tried to reason.

“Don’t worry. If I need your help I will ask for it; I promise.” He turned his attention deliberately to the cup she held, “Thank you for the tea; that was very thoughtful of you.” 

“I’ll just leave it here then,” she eyed him wistfully as she placed the cup on his bedside table, and then started slightly when she noticed the extinguished candles. “Have you been sneaking women in here secretly?” she tried to tease him. “Anyone I know?”

He could not control the anguish on his face when he replied, “No, that can never happen.”

Reeling from his rejection and secretiveness yet again, Rose ran from the room as fast as her legs could carry her. Her pain was added to when he barely looked up to notice her going.

~o~

The alarm went off, bringing the cold light of day with it. Donna groaned and tried to hide herself under the covers for a few more minutes. Sylvia pulled the covers back and exposed her to some nagging. “What do you think you are doing in here, young lady? There’s money to be made, to pay bills and the mortgage whether you’ve had a good night’s sleep or not! The fact you spent your time squealing like a stuffed pig instead of sleeping soundly is neither here nor there!” Sylvia glared at Donna for good measure.

“He said…,” Donna became aware that she had no idea where that sentence was going to go.

“Don’t! Just don’t bring him into it yet again!” Sylvia turned to start frantically folding dropped items of clothing. “All he does is distract you away from here like the Do-” Sylvia gasped as she realised what she was about to say.

“The who?” Donna pounced on the familiar sound. Seeing Sylvia’s worried countenance she knew that here was a possible piece of the incomprehensible puzzle that her life had become. “Who is he like?”

“Who?” Sylvia flailed for a second as her thoughts raced for an alternative. “Like Mrs Smith’s irritating dog Reggie; that’s who!” She hurriedly picked up the folded dirty clothing and headed for the door. “Get up! Your grandfather needs help with his socks before you go to work. And I’ll see you this evening.”

Donna saw an opportunity to quiz her Gramps while he was at her mercy about this ‘d’ word; alright, she wouldn’t be that mean to him, but at least his feet will be in the palms of her hands whilst she asked.

~o~

The Doctor sat slumped on the floor of Donna’s bedroom; the pain in his chest raw and poignant. Why hadn’t he said something sooner? Anything? Why had he waited until the very last moment, after she’d…? His thoughts broke again. She all but admitted having feelings for him too; she’d dangled a carrot of hope before his very eyes. But she’d also challenged him to do something about her condition, and he was at a loss, an absolute loss, what to do next.

He put out a hand towards her bed and touched the cover reverently. He’d lost count the number of nights he had stood and watched her sleep without her knowing, without her being aware of his longing to reach out and be with her. He blushed. That thought was extremely inappropriate. She had never wanted… ‘but apparently she had’, the TARDIS insisted, ‘otherwise how was the metacrisis version of you able to woo her so easily?’

The Doctor mentally shouted at the TARDIS that such questions did help him cope. They didn’t help in the slightest; not when all he wanted to do was fly to Chiswick as quickly as it was possible and snatch Donna back. And that action would be bad, very bad.

Instead, on his next trip the Doctor forced himself to avoid telling the full story to Jane Austen, but letting her know he had loved and lost a woman who loved him back because their circumstances were taken out of their control. “Could not this young woman be persuaded to return your love, Doctor?” Jane had asked him.

“Miss Austen, I am sure she would have declared her love for me if my ship was equipped with the correct facilities, but alas it was not to be,” the Doctor had replied sadly. “I fear she is lost to me forever.”

“I do not believe that such a love would die so readily, sir,” Jane had patted his arm consolingly.

The image of Donna and his clone smirking together had flashed across his mind unbidden. “May the fate of my love be in your hands, Miss Austen?” The Doctor was gratified to see the spark of an idea in Jane’s eyes. At least some good would come out of his heartbreak.

~o~

Little green lights joined the blue ones on the device he’d been working on. So far he’d successfully managed to entice Donna over into his universe after visiting her one several times. Not only that, but the recent visits had been much longer, and much more fulfilling. His mental connection with her had blossomed almost to its previous capacity on board the TARDIS. Things were going very well; almost too well, a treacherous voice at the back of his head had whispered.

He placed the device carefully in his office cabinet; he slid the large drawer shut and locked it, with satisfied glee. Should he admit he had built the device to Rose? Would she understand why he had done it? Patting the cabinet possessively, he decided that it was best not to for the time being; she’d misunderstand or possibly try to steal it from him. He couldn’t let that happen.

He looked at his watch and decided that he would finish the day working at Torchwood and then hurry home or go to one of the many laboratories to test out his device fully. If his calculations were correct the expansion of that chink between the universes would occur at precisely 20.11: 01.01 and he intended to ride the wave.

As his stomach grumbled he realised that a spot of lunch was needed; and he headed towards the canteen. He was aware of many things as he progressed down the corridor, like his heart rate, the smell of the disinfectant on the floor, Amy Cartwright eyeing him up through her office door; but he was unaware of the eyes following him on the security camera.

~o~

Rose cornered him in his office just after 4pm. He tried not to sigh, he really did; but she had that look on her face that meant trouble was brewing for him. She was after something, and it was going to be something he didn’t like doing.

“You’ve been hiding something from me,” she stated simply, positioning herself between him and the filing cabinet.

“Have I?” he answered as vaguely as he could.

“You know full well you have!” she accused him directly. “Don’t try to deny it because I’ve seen you! Yes, you didn’t know that bit, did you _Doctor_?” she advanced on him until she almost touched him, leaning heavily on the desk. 

“So you’ve seen me… doing whatever it is you’re accusing me of, which is probably nothing at all going on past experience…,” he attempted to distract her into one of her favourite arguments.

“You think you are _so_ clever making a thingamabob when I wasn’t looking, but you forgot that I have friends here! I’m the one with the contacts and the favours to return,” she spat at him.

“Ah! Now I understand! Ritchie in security let you watch the cameras, didn’t he?” he felt his scorn for her rise. “Needed someone else to do all the dirty work, and you swoop in for the kill!”

“How dare you!” her hand shot out to slap him hard, but he was prepared for such an action, and caught her aim mid-flight with ease.

“You won’t catch a Noble out that easily,” he pointed out sarcastically.

“Oh yes, I forgot, _Doctor Noble_!” she sneered at him. “You couldn’t be Smith or Tyler; it had to be Noble, didn’t it? Why did you take her name? Why?”

“It doesn’t matter now; I just did,” he reddened slightly but refused to be drawn further by her.

“It’s sick the way you are obsessed with her! It’s not right at all,” she pushed, waiting to see if she would finally get to the bottom of this.

“Sick?!” he snapped. “Like _your_ obsession with _the_ Doctor was a mind working within the boundaries of reason! Ha! It doesn’t matter that you risked all reality with your treks, or that Donna sacrificed…,” he almost bit his tongue stopping himself from ranting at her.

“What?” Rose’s face crumpled with concern. “What did Donna sacrifice?”

“Nothing!” he muttered as he turned his head away and hid his expression.

“Tell me!” she demanded. “Stop treating me like a child!”

He reluctantly gazed back at her. “She… she had to lose her life on the TARDIS. Her mind was…”

“He’s on his own?! But he said she’d stay with him!” Rose interrupted. “Take me back to him. I know you can!”

“No!” he replied. “I can’t and I won’t.”

“Oh yes you can!” she insisted. “You’ve made a thing that will let me get to him. I’ve seen it!”

He shook his head sadly at her. “No, I can’t let you do that.”

“And why’s that?” she asked, bristling with fury at him.

“It will only work once, and for all I know it will kill you. I won’t risk it,” he silently begged her to understand.

“I don’t care. He needs me,” she asserted confidently. “He loves me.”

That almost broke his resolve to stop her ridiculous ambition. “No, I can’t let you do this,” he told her instead.

“But you’re going to go, aren’t you?” she guessed. “Why can you risk it but not me?”

A million answers fluttered through his mind; because he doesn’t love you anymore, because he needs someone else, because I love her, because I can control it, because… “Because I will kill myself if I don’t try this. I have to go,” he chose to say to her.

She looked at him in stunned silence for a few moments. “Are you so desperate to get away from me that you have to make up excuses? Or are you stopping me going because you are jealous of his love for me.”

“Oh Rose! You’ve got it so wrong.” He sighed deeply.

“Then tell me the real reason! Just for once let me know the truth!” she cried.

He stared at her as blankly as he could. “I love her. I need to get back to her, and I would rather die trying than not try at all.”

Rose’s slap made contact with his face this time; and the sound travelled all the way to Amy Cartwright.


	5. Taking Over the Dark

He glared at Rose through the stinging on his cheek. That definitely decided it for him: she was not going with him too! The slap also made him decide that he was going to seek out one more liaison with Donna just in case things went pear shaped. Once Rose had stormed out of his office in a huff, he calmly opened the filing cabinet, removed his device, and headed for a nearby hotel. Let her try and sneak on him there!

~o~

It was the weirdest moment Donna had had so far with who her mother called her ‘imaginary friend’. She’d been inside the stationary cupboard, sorting through the post-it notes of all things, when she had felt him beside her. Knowing the dangers by now she had kept her eyes focused on the colourful pieces of paper as she spoke to him. “You’re back! Why have you come here of all places?” she softly asked. She could feel their connection so strongly she could almost taste him.

“Close your eyes,” he gently ordered her. “Let me come to you properly.”

Donna did as she was asked, and sensed him moving closer, until he embraced her with fervour. He placed passionate kisses against the bare skin of her shoulders before turning her and seeking her lips hungrily. “Wow, Timeboy! Do we have to rush?” she smirked against his mouth.

But he didn’t give her much of a chance to continue speaking; he took possession of her, tasting, teasing and drinking her in. “I’m coming for you tonight,” he informed her after a few moments. “I need you to know, if it goes wrong, that I… that I have always… loved you with all my heart. Everything I have done has been so that I can get back to you.” He kissed her closed eyes. “You will finally be able to see me.” He fondled her bottom and pulled her tightly against him, “You’ll feel me properly. We will truly become one.” He lifted her skirt and took hold of the waistband of her knickers. “Are you ready for some final virtual sexuality?”

She made a grab for his trouser zip and button. “Just you try and stop me, mate!” What she found delighted her enormously. “You went commando! You saucy git!” she laughed.

He grinned back at her mentally, “I aim to please. Now where would you like me to place your bottom?” he swept his gaze around the cupboard wondering where the best perching spot would be. He took his time removing her knickers and kissed his way down her legs. “You are so beautiful!” he gasped.

“I wish I could say the same for you, Mr Invisible,” she grouched. “You could look like a bag of spanners for all I know!”

He stood and pushed his arousal at her. “Does it matter right here and now? I thought the fact I love you is more important!” He also pushed his pout at her through their connection.

She giggled, and pulled his head forward so that she could kiss him properly. “In my head you are absolutely gorgeous, so I’m perfectly happy,” she snickered. “Now, you were asking me where my bottom should be, if I remember correctly?”

“Indeed I did,” he replied, his voice giving away some of the strain he felt as he lifted her bottom and held her up against a shelf. “Is that uncomfortable, my love?”

“Whatever you’re doing will take it away; so carry on.” Donna panted, as she placed one hand on his shoulder and one on the corner shelf beside her.

They both groaned as he pressed into her. “I don’t think I can…,” he started to say.

“Go for it!” yelled Donna into his ear. “I want you so much too!”

Their grunts and squeals continued for several minutes until, finally, they both moaned in ecstasy together. “Bloody hell, I love you! This mind sex is brilliant!” Donna exclaimed.

“It’ll get better when we’re in the flesh,” he whispered sultrily into her ear. “This is merely…”

And that was when she accidentally opened her eyes. He disappeared without a puff of smoke.

“No!” she sobbed. “Come back!” But it was too late; and he had gone. She stood grasping the corner shelf whilst she wept.

~o~

He unexpectedly found himself back in the hotel room, lying on the bed happily exhausted. It had finished way too quickly, in more senses than one; but they hadn’t been interrupted in the cupboard, they’d both enjoyed it enormously – he smirked at that thought – and if things went well later they’d end up enjoying it again with much more zeal.

Parts of him stirred in excitement at that thought, but he promised himself that he would treat himself to a particular Donna fantasy later on. Before that, he needed to know what the time was, and rolled to look at the clock. Good! He could have a quick sleep, a shower, watch the One Show followed by EastEnders, and then it was Show Time!

~o~

Donna calmed down, adjusted her clothing, and left the cupboard with her head held high. “Afternoon!” she breezily greeted the temp sitting 5 metres from the stationary cupboard, and made her way back to her chair.

“Where have you been?” the woman that usually sat opposite her asked as soon as she sat down. “Some bloke called Shaun called while you were hiding in the cupboard.”

“Did he, Pat?” Donna asked nonchalantly. “What did he say?” She swivelled her chair to a comfortable position in front of her terminal.

Pat glanced at her notepad. “He wanted to know if you would meet him outside Debenhams straight after work. Ooh! He’s keen. What’s he like?”

Donna waved vaguely. “Oh, you know. Tallish, black hair, quite sweet but earns next to nothing. Mum wants me to push him along a bit into a serious relationship.”

“And what do you want? Do you think he could be _the_ one?” Pat leant forward across the desk to peer at Donna closely.

“I... erm… I’m not sure,” Donna admitted. “I can’t help feeling someone else is waiting for me.”

“Just have fun for now,” Pat advised, “as long as he’s good in bed!” And she cackled loudly.

Donna blushed. “I wouldn’t know.”

“What do you mean you wouldn’t know?” Pat looked shocked. “How long have you been going out with him?”

“About… a month or so, two at the most,” Donna offered thoughtfully. “What? Not everyone jumps straight into bed, you know!”

“So you’re basically telling me you don’t fancy him,” guessed Pat, “unless you have your eye on another fella!”

“Well…” Donna blushed again. “This sounds really stupid. God knows Mum thinks I am mad for keeping Shaun at a distance, but there is someone I’d love to meet properly.”

“Meet?” Pat laughed. “Bonk you mean. Well, whoever he is I hope he is worth the wait.”

“He’s definitely worth it!” agreed Donna. “He’s a fantastic kisser!”

“So you’ve had him then?” Pat waited for Donna to nod back at her with a blissful smile. “What are you doing messing about with this Shaun then?”

“Seriously? I have no idea!” Donna joined in with Pat in her giggling fit.

~o~

The pinging noise from the console monitor notified the Doctor that the device had been used again. He rushed to observe the readings, seeking out their patterns, and the answer he wanted. He’d done it again! Oh! It hadn’t lasted very long this time. What did that mean?

Out came the keyboard, and he tapped frantically, trying out various scenarios. As he did so a faint outline appeared in front of him. “You!” he shot the accusation at the man wavering into view before him.

The visage opened his mouth as though to speak then he melted away. “What did you do?” the Doctor asked the TARDIS. “You did something, and I want to know what!”

The TARDIS did the equivalent of a teenage shrug at him in his mind, so he gave back the equivalent of a raspberry.

~o~

He had not expected to materialise on board the TARDIS! That had been quite a surprise; especially when he had intended to find himself on the pavement somewhere outside Donna’s house. He had known the TARDIS would be involved in this jaunt; there was a tiny piece of TARDIS coral inside his device after all!

The next thing he knew he was being pulled and pushed sideways, to a location that looked vaguely familiar. The voice that shouted at him was extremely familiar. “What the hell do you think you are playing at coming here like this?” the sound of Sylvia Noble assaulted him. She looked like she wanted to add a physical assault to the list too.

“Ah! This isn’t quite what you think it is,” he tried to explain. “I’m…”

“I thought you said she could never see you again, Doctor! If you need to talk to Dad again you should have gone up the hill. Donna will be home soon with her young man,” Sylvia carried on, dazzling him with the information.

“No I didn’t… should I?.. will she?... who?!” He heard himself flounder with all the possible questions he could ask.

“God knows how you cope without Donna organising you anymore,” Sylvia grumbled before grabbing his arm and manhandling him into the house. “Why you feel the need to lurk outside in my back garden is anybody’s guess!”

He merely gawped at her, fighting internally for the right words to explain his situation. He took a deep breath and began his explanation as she started to fill the kettle. “Mrs Noble… Sylvia… or should I call you Mum? No, perhaps not, I can see you don’t like that one! Well, you see, the thing is, I’m not the Doctor, I’m the metacrisis Doctor. Do you understand?”

Sylvia shook her head. “The what?! No, I don’t understand!”

He held in a sigh. “Did he tell you about how Donna saved the universe?”

“Of course he did! What do you mean ‘he’? Don’t you remember telling Dad and me?” Sylvia huffed. “Have you gone bonkers?”

“I’m not him!” he insisted. “I was created when Donna was trapped in the TARDIS, by a process called the metacrisis. Did you know that bit?” But Sylvia shook her head in confusion. He wiped his hand down his face. “God, how do I explain this simply?” He turned his attention back to Sylvia. “Donna touched a jar that held some DNA; my DNA! And I sprung into being, like… erm… that Greek god…”

“Someone like Aphrodite?” supplied Sylvia.

“That’s it! Just like her; but I’m a mixture of the Doctor and a teeny tiny bit of Donna.” he grinned at Sylvia, hoping that she understood who he was exactly now.

“But I don’t understand.” Sylvia was visibly perplexed. “Why didn’t the Doctor tell us about you when he brought Donna home?”

“I’ve no idea. I’m sorry, so very sorry.” he hovered near a chair wondering if he ought to offer to hug her or sit down and wait for his cup of tea.

Sylvia gestured for him to sit down and started to pour out their tea. “So where have you been all this time?” She placed a mug in front of him. “And does that make you my grandson?”

“Oh no! I don’t think I have enough of Donna’s DNA to make me that. It was more a cellular rewiring than becoming part of the immediate family.” He beamed with glee when Sylvia placed the open biscuit jar before him to help himself. “I’m the Doctor with an added twist.”

Sylvia observed him. “Yeah, ‘twisted’ might be the word that describes you,” she commented drily as he scoffed down his third biscuit. “Didn’t they feed you where you came from?”

“Sorry, but these are my favourites!” He dunked his fourth Viennese finger. “I was living in an alternative universe, sharing with the girl that came here with the big gun.”

“Oh yes! She found you alright then?” Sylvia grabbed a biscuit before they all disappeared.

“Well…” He dusted off his hands and took a gulp of his tea. “Sort of. Anyway… when will Donna be back?”

Sylvia looked at the clock. “Any moment now, I should think. What do you want with her?”

“I need to see her. I… we… that is…,” he fumbled finding the right words to enlighten her when loud giggles filtered in from the hallway. Giggles that made his ears prick up, and other parts of his anatomy.

“Mum! You’ll never guess what?” Donna burst in, closely followed a tall, dark man. “Oh! Hello, I’m Donna!” She turned her smile onto him, and he felt himself die slightly at the complete lack of recognition on her face.

“I’m erm…,” he stuttered, lost in his momentary misery.

“This is your distant cousin, Donna. The one I told you about the other day,” Sylvia hastily supplied the lie. “Don’t tell me you don’t remember?! That bad memory of yours will be the death of you!” 

Donna sadly shook her head, and turned back to him, offering her hand to shake. “Well, you know my name now. What’s yours?” She gave him a small nervous laugh.

“I’m David Noble; Doctor David Noble to be precise, but not many people call me that.” he held onto her hand far longer than he should have done, he knew that, but he didn’t want to let her go just yet.

“You never said we had a doctor in the family!” Donna mocked her mother, “And a good looking one at that!”

He was pleased to note that she hadn’t tried very hard to pull away from him. “I’m a scientific doctor, not a medical one. I’ve been working in a laboratory,” he told her as he gazed into her deep blue eyes. He tried not to think about the length of time he’d longed to be able to do just that.

Sylvia drew their attention away from each other. “What was this piece of news you were going to tell me when you first walked in?”

“News?” Donna asked distractedly, still finding herself mesmerised by this man holding onto her hand so lovingly.

It was Shaun who supplied the answer. “I’ve asked Donna to marry me, Sylvia; and she said ‘yes’!”

Donna was swept away from David’s hand as Sylvia embraced her in a congratulatory hug before Shaun grabbed her possessively. He managed to plaster on a smile, say the right words of congratulations, shake Shaun’s hand and kiss Donna on the cheek. But inside he was dying and his mind endlessly screamed “NO!”

“David, are you coming with us to tell Gramps the good news?” Shaun cheerfully asked him, and he found himself agreeing before he could stop himself.


	6. Darkest Before Dawn

Sylvia endlessly chatted to Donna about possible wedding plans, whilst David tried to make small talk with Shaun. Without really trying he found out that Shaun had been going out with Donna for almost four months now; and that bothered him. He didn’t want to talk to Shaun; he wanted to punch his lights out! He wanted to rant at him, demand what the hell he was playing at trying to take away _his_ Donna. He’d travelled millions of miles and a hair’s breadth to get here, and some interloper had snuck in and squirrelled her away. He was _not_ going to let that happen! As he spoke, idly chatting, he started to form a rescue plan, a plan that hopefully would not entail Shaun lying dead and bleeding in some ditch, or hanging from a lamppost by his toe nails!

He surreptitiously watched Donna, and she did not talk as animatedly as she should have done. And if he wasn’t very much mistaken she kept giving him little looks, especially when he spoke.

Of course! His voice! She must be remembering his voice. Oh yes, he definitely had a plan now! As they entered the dark allotment it was necessary to walk in single file so he made sure he fell in behind Donna, and waited for his moment. He brought his voice low and quiet, so that only Donna could hear him, and asked, “Total darkness… are you okay with that, Donna?” He saw her shiver as though a ghost had walked over her grave.

She stopped abruptly and rounded on him to ask softly, “What did you say?” 

“We’re in total darkness. Are you okay with that?” He involuntarily reached out to her, grasping her hands. “I’m not far away.”

Their connection buzzed alive. He could feel her on the edge of his thoughts, teetering unsurely. He let go with one hand and brought it up to caress her cheek and fondle a curl of her hair. He moved forward so slowly, not wanting to frighten her away, sending her reassuring thoughts about his love for her. She gasped and leant into his touch, bringing her lips closer to his.

“Donna! David! What are you doing down there? Dad is waiting!” Sylvia barked at them, breaking the spell he had carefully woven. 

“Sorry Mum!” Donna called back, and then tugged on his hand, just like old times. She guided him along the narrow path that led to Wilf’s shed. “Gramps, I’ve brought you a visitor,” she announced once they reached him. “A distant relative, according to Mum. Gramps meet David Noble.” 

David stepped into the light cast by Wilf’s bonfire and heard him inhale sharply as he shook his hand. “Nice to meet you finally, Gramps. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Wilf pumped his hand. “Nice to see you too, my boy. We must have a little man to man when we get the chance.”

“Oh yes! I’d love that,” agreed David. “You’re very kind to make the offer.”

Wilf shrugged as he glanced at Donna. “As long as Donna is fine I’ll go along with anything.” It hadn’t escaped Wilf’s notice that Donna was standing much closer to this David, or whoever he was saying he was, than she was to Shaun. Sylvia had whispered to him that this wasn’t the Doctor, but who was she kidding? This was him alright! At least, he thought it was him...

David could feel himself under Wilf’s scrutiny, and was pleasantly pleased by that. He felt Donna flinch with the cold and he automatically went to comfort her before he realised that Shaun was doing the same thing, and he pulled back his arm. He hoped no one had noticed; but they had.

“Shall we head back home and have a warming cup of tea?” Sylvia had suggested, getting unanimous agreement. 

David was most annoyed when Shaun placed himself between him and Donna. Wilf rubbed a consoling hand on his arm, and whispered, “Don’t fret too much, my boy. These things have a way of sorting themselves out.” David hoped Wilf could see his answering smile; he felt confident things would sort themselves in his favour, and gave the old man a comforting pat on the back in return.

~o~

The Doctor tapped desperately at his keyboard, seeking the source of the signal now. Where had the bugger gone? Ah! There he was… in Chiswick! What was he thinking?

“Come on; you know! Why is he there exactly?” the Doctor begged the TARDIS to tell him. 

‘He’s doing what you should have done’, the TARDIS replied tritely.

The Doctor banged the console in frustration. “What do you mean by that?! I’ve a good mind to rip out some of your wiring as punishment for saying such a thing.” 

She answered by darkening the lights for 10 seconds to show her displeasure.

“So you think I should go there, eh?” He moved his hands to punch in the required coordinates, but stopped midway through the process. “I can’t! I can’t risk her life like that! What would I do if she dies… right there in front of me?” His voice broke as the image of her demise flashed through his mind. “He’d never forgive me,” he added softly.

‘Then do something!’ the TARDIS cajoled, ‘you know you want to see her again’. 

“What exactly are you trying to push me into?” he asked sceptically. “What do you know that I don’t?”

But the TARDIS was keeping schtum.

~o~

He lay in the Nobles’ spare bed listening to the sounds of the sleeping household. Donna had asked him if he had anywhere to stay locally, and when he’d replied truthfully that he had nowhere to go she’d immediately offered him their spare bedroom. Shaun had openly glared at him, but he didn’t care; it had been rather a sweet victory at the time.

He’d carried on thinking it was a great idea right up until this moment. Donna had arranged for him to borrow some of Wilf’s pyjamas. Best of all, she’d brought them into this small room, sat on the spare bed with him talking about her latest temp job, and seemed slightly unwilling to leave him on his own. He’d told her a bit about his own job, made some vague reference to his ex-flatmate, and hinted that he was there looking for someone special. He could see some interest about this, but she hadn’t pushed for information and he hadn’t offered a great deal. Their chinwag had ended when Sylvia had barged in and insisted the pair of them get to bed. He’d felt it best not to make a saucy joke about it.

“Good night, David,” Donna had whispered; and she’d stretched up to give him a goodnight kiss. Sylvia had chosen that moment to bark at Donna again, so all he’d got was a quick peck before Donna was gone.

It was dangerous lying there thinking about Donna. She was close to him right now: a brick wall away. If he closed his eyes and concentrated he could feel her, still hovering on the edge of his mind; but he wanted more than that. He wanted to be in that bed with her, caressing her body, melding minds, healing his wounded soul, tasting her… Bugger! This was torture!

He swung himself out of the bed and made for the bathroom. Having splashed himself with plenty of cold water, he was reaching for the towel when Donna entered, making him jump. 

“David? Are you alright? Are you feeling sick?” She placed a concerned hand on his arm. “Blimey! Your heart is racing away!” She moved her hand to press it against his forehead, and he closed his eyes blissfully. “You don’t feel hot,” she remarked, “would you like some paracetamol?”

He caught her wrist and placed soft kisses against her pulse point, then arched his body towards her, carefully opening his eyes. She didn’t look shocked; surprised of course, but not shocked. “Donna,” he spoke quietly, “I don’t know what to say beyond this: I’ve searched for you for so long.”

Her eyes went wide. “What do you mean you’ve searched?”

He could feel her trembling. “You knew me once; you knew me as well as I know myself.” He gazed intently at her pale face.

“Come off it!” she scoffed. “I don’t know you from Adam!” But she didn’t miss the hurt look that crossed his features, making her wonder if he was telling the truth.

He grimaced up at the harsh bathroom light. “Is there somewhere we can go, that isn’t quite so…”

She nodded, and led him into her room, turning on a bedside lamp and gesturing to him to sit on her bed. “So what is this great secret you want to tell me?” She stood over him for a few seconds before thinking better of it, and sat down next to him.

He chuckled. “You bring a strange man into your bedroom in the middle of the night wearing only a pair of pyjamas, and _that_ is your only question?”

“If you don’t want to tell me David that’s entirely up to you, but I’ve a feeling that it’s pretty important to you.” She gave him a nonchalant shrug. 

He knew that gesture for what it really was, and his heart went out to her.

He took hold of her hand. “Don’t worry, Donna.” His voice was so quiet she could hardly hear him. “I have no intention of harming you; I would rather die first, but you need to know who I am.”

“Okay, fire away,” she encouraged, more for her benefit than his.

“I’m your other half,” he told her simply.

“You what?” she huffed.

“Let me show you.” He placed a hand on her lower back and pulled her body to his; but unfortunately he was more excited than he should have been in the circumstances.

She snapped her attention to his lower torso and then back to his face, pushing herself away from him desperately. “You pervert!” she spat. “Get your mitts off me and get out of my bedroom! What do you think I am? Some desperate tart?!”

She thumped him hard in the chest, and he landed flat on his back on the floor. “You don’t understand Donna! This isn’t like that!” he implored her, but she was having none of that.

“Think you can just stroll in here and make a grab for the first woman who shows you any sympathy! Well, you can think again, mate!” She stood hand on hips glaring at him for all she was worth.

“No, Donna, please!” he begged, as tears welled up in his eyes. “I need you!” Right, that wasn’t the correct thing to say in this situation. His mind grasped for anything that could stop his fall from grace. “I can’t shut you out any longer. I shouldn’t have left you that time in the kitchen, I kissed your eyes as we lay on the picnic blanket, but I made it all better when we were in my bedroom in the dark.” He crawled across the carpet to her, wrapping himself around her legs, needing to hug any part of her body. “And it wasn’t my fault I left you in the stationary cupboard earlier; well, when I say earlier it was weeks ago for you.” He kissed her leg for real this time. “My beautiful Donna,” he breathed against her skin.

He felt and saw their connection open again as she opened her mind to him. “You!” she panted. “That was you?! How was it you?”

“Does it matter right now?” He moved up her body, kissing her as he went. “We’ll sort that out later; but for now I want to do this...” He had reached her neck by that point, and stole a kiss from her lips.

“I thought you’d abandoned me!” she sobbed. “You didn’t come back.”

“I was waylaid by… someone; but I got here as quickly as I could.” He cradled her face in his hands. “I love you!”

She threw her arms around him, returning his tender kisses; letting it build into a passionate embrace. He slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting her properly, and they both groaned with the pleasure of it. He pushed up her nightdress, caressing her bottom before starting to guide down her knickers. 

She broke their kiss abruptly. “What are you doing?”

He rubbed his erection against her. “I thought we could get a little creative.”

She fought through her desire to state. “We don’t have anything to use.”

“Since when d-…” He froze as a thought struck him. “What do you use when you’re with Shaun? You must be using something?”

“OMG! I completely forgot about him,” she admitted guiltily. “Do you think we should stop?”

“Are you mad? You were mine way before he came on the scene! Now answer the question, you gorgeous woman.” He gently prodded her shoulder.

He was delighted to see the blush that appeared on her skin. “We haven’t…” she muttered something.

“What was that?” he strained to hear her response.

“We haven’t had sex; alright!” she defended herself against the expected onslaught.

He laughed merrily, and hugged her closer. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear that!”

“Happy enough to be okay with us not having sex because I don’t have anything?” she provoked him.

He waggled his eyebrows at her. “There’s more than one way to skin a cat!”

“What do you mean?” she giggled.

She got her reply when he wriggled down her body and began to devour her, pushing her willing body back down onto the bed. 

“You might want to stuff your fist in your mouth, my love,” he advised her from his low position, “because I intend to cause quite a noise!”

Sylvia, however, thought it was another of Donna’s funny turns and merely turned over in bed determined to ignore it.


	7. And the Dark Went Away

David thrust his hand into his mouth, biting down hard to stop the yelps of delight from escaping from his lips. He had known she would have been good at this; but this was bloody brilliant! There was knowing, and there was _knowing_ ; oh how he loved her!

Things had been going swimmingly until bloody Sylvia had shouted out, “Donna?! Why is your bedroom light still on?” 

Talk about a passion killer! He’d leapt off the bed and hidden down the side just in case Sylvia had charged in. “What, Mum?” Donna had answered as bleary eyed as possible. “Sorry!” And with a flick of her wrist they’d been plunged into sudden darkness.

They’d lain in silence whilst Sylvia visited the bathroom and then had padded back to her room. “David? Where are you?” Donna had whispered hoarsely.

She jumped when he placed a hand on her thigh before climbing back onto the bed. “That was close!” he whispered back. “Do I get a refund for services not provided?” 

She swatted him on the arm, with an aim that was surprisingly good in the dark. “You will pay dearly for your cheek!”

“Well, that’s that part of me sorted; what about the rest of me?” he quipped. They giggled together as silently as they could. As they cuddled together their eyes adjusted to the lower light. They broke into giggles again when the sound of Sylvia’s snores reached them. “Is it always this loud?” he asked.

“Yeah, from what I remember,” she answered, lovingly caressing his face, “but recently I’ve been the one making all the noise due to a certain someone in my sleep!”

He grinned broadly at her. “Just doing my job, ma’am! Now, do you fancy making some more noise, and risking ourselves a happy little ending, or have we got to wait until a visit to somewhere like Boots the Chemists?” he asked before kissing her sensually. “I’ll go with whatever you decide, but you should know I’d be perfectly okay with _any_ final outcome.” He gazed meaningfully into her eyes.

“Are you seriously saying you don’t mind fatherhood; or am I reading this wrong?” she asked. She could hardly breathe with excitement.

“Mind? I’d love it!” he confirmed. And they sought each other’s lips with renewed enthusiasm.

~o~

The Doctor woke up with a start. The dream had been so vivid; extremely vivid judging by the state of his sheets. It had been a tremendously pleasurable dream where he had lain with Donna and loved her with all his being. It had been wild and passionate, fulfilling every fantasy he could have possibly had. Why had he dreamed like that now?

Was this disappointing? No way! He had expected nightmares where he lost her again or had to fight desperately to keep her alive, remembering how her mind had felt against his. He sighed. That part had been marvellous but he’d been too distracted elsewhere, with other people, to really appreciate it to the full.

And now, based on the way the TARDIS had been acting up, she was with his other self. He knew if he stepped outside the TARDIS doors he would be able to feel them both much clearer. But he was frightened to do so. If he felt her mind he would need to run to her, there’d be nothing to stop him, not even his own resolve.

Had the other him found her? Had they re-bonded or would her mind defences reject him? Perhaps the dream hadn’t been a dream at all… Boy did that hurt! That bit deep into his soul. If she had chosen to lay with his other self did that mean she’d reject the original: him? Oh gods, this was awful! What would he do if that were the case?

He wanted to bring them both back on board the TARDIS, this was where they belonged, he was certain of that! Otherwise his name wasn’t the Doctor!!

He washed and changed, knowing he wanted to look his best for her, and headed for the console room.

The TARDIS was being awfully quiet; no accusations, no gentle barbs, she just stood in the background waiting. “Why did you send me that dream?” he called out. “Why did you torture me with such sweetness?” He slumped against the controls, noting to the destination coordinates were already set. “Why give her to me when she will be taken away? I cannot bear this pain, especially if he…,” he said softly, and placed his head in his hands. “If she chooses him I must be strong, I must accept her decision. What can I offer her that he cannot?”

In answer, the TARDIS threw a spotlight on a small black box on the floor to the left of the console to him. “Is that…?” he asked hesitantly; a wide beamy smile spread across his face.

~o~

Donna turned and found herself lying against a wall of male skin. Naked and all warm, she noted, as her hand investigated this unusual morning phenomena.

“If you touch it you’re going to have to use it,” he said with a smirk, bringing down his mouth to capture hers in a passionate kiss. “Hmm, first kiss of the day. How wonderful is that?” He grinned at her.

“David, I don’t think Mum or Gramps ought to find you in here,” she advised as soon as she could. “We don’t want to cause a scene, do we?” 

“You’ll have to stop rubbing yourself up against me then if you want me to go unnoticed,” he teased, “otherwise you’ll be creating more than a scene here!”

“Stop it you prawn,” she chided and swatted his arm. “You’ll get me into trouble!”

“Wasn’t that the object of the exercise last night, or have you changed your mind now about a baby?” his asked as his expression gradually turned to hurt.

“Of course I haven’t!” she exclaimed. She kissed her way along his jawline in consolation. “I can’t think of much I’d rather have.”

“I hope I’m included in that list, otherwise I need to get my act together.” He gave her a small squeeze.

“Your act is very good; and you know it!” she answered, laughing.

“You’re not so bad yourself!” he replied, gaving her a wink, a quick peck on the mouth, and climbed out of the bed. He opened the door to smidge to see if the coast was clear, and crept out with a swift backwards glance. Donna waved him off.

~o~

Wilf was waiting for him in the kitchen, sitting with a fresh cup of tea. “Morning Doctor! I mean, David!” Wilf greeted him.

David immediately blushed. “Morning Gramps!” he replied. “Is there any more of that tea?”

Wilf bustled about pouring tea and making idle chit chat, before placing a round of toast and a jar of marmalade in front of him. “Eat up! You need to keep your strength up,” Wilf coaxed him.

“Pardon?” David blushed an even deeper red.

“If you’re going to fix our Donna,” Wilf twinkled at him as he explained. “That is the reason you’re here isn’t it? Apart from the other business.”

“Other business?” David squeaked his response. Any moment now he expected Wilf to punch him for defiling his granddaughter.

“Come off it, lad! I saw how you looked at my girl last night! I know a man in love when I see one; so what are your intentions towards her? Are you going to court her once you’ve fixed her head?” Wilf asked, looking at him expectantly.

“I… well…,” he spluttered as he turned his intense gaze onto Wilf. “Yes, you’re right… I love her, I can’t deny it, and I don’t want to upset the applecart by being here but… I want to be with her forever. I never want to be without her ever again. I’m not sure if I can fix her head but I have a plan.”

Wilf beamed at him. “That’s all fine by me, lad. I have nothing against Shaun, but she hasn’t been the same since she left you. You were made for each other.”

David gave a slight chuckle. “You don’t know how close to the truth you are with that! You do know that I’m not _the_ Doctor but the metacrisis version of him, don’t you?” David gave him a forlorn look. 

“Sylvia said something about you not being him, and being formed like a Greek god; but it’s all gobbledegook to me!” Wilf confessed. So David explained it as best as he could, watching Wilf’s wide-eyed expression. “Blimey! I never expected that! And you were in another universe…wow!”

“It didn’t feel wow at the time,” David admitted and sighed. “All I could think about was getting back here.”

“To my Donna?” Wilf asked, knowingly.

“To my Donna,” David agreed.

“Don’t worry lad, I’ll do all that I can to help,” Wilf told him. He gripped David’s wrist and gave it a squeeze.

~o~

“Fancy a walk up to the paper shop?” David asked Donna once she’d finished her breakfast. 

She glanced at her watch to form an answer, “Yeah, I’ve got time before I go into work.”

They said their goodbyes to Wilf and held hands as they walked along, happy as Larry. “You look beautiful,” he whispered, and he felt her delight through their connection; but it quickly turned to confusion.

“Why are you really here, David? We have something really special going on, I know that, but I don’t understand why. One minute you a brilliant figment of my imagination and the next you turn up on my doorstep, all gorgeous and sexy, and…,” she said before faltering. She gazed tearfully at him. “Are you going to disappear just as easily? Like all the other times?”

“Oh Donna!” he exclaimed, sweeping her into his embrace. “I have no intention of ever leaving you again,” he spoke softly into her hair, placing small kisses against her forehead. “The path nexus has dissolved and the temporal displacement had been terminated; there’s no way I could go if I wanted to.”

“That what has done what with the what?” she asked and glared at him. “Are you taking the piss?” Her anger flowed around her in a fiery aura.

“Donna! You know very well what I mean! It was you that explained it to me in the first place!” he snarled back in response. He immediately thought better of it. “I mean… no I’m not trying to take the piss… Donna!” he hissed as she tried to walk away. “Don’t go!”

“I ask you ONE simple question and you have to make up a load of babble, just like you always do! Haven’t you realised after all this time that I know when you are lying to me? Or can’t you grace with one piece of intelligence?!” she angrily snapped in his face.

Did she realise what she had just said? Did that mean she was close to remembering the rest of it? How dangerous would it be if he pointed it out? He gawped at her fearfully, hoping she would listen and feel for him rather than let her anger blind her; but his fears were well founded. She gave him a glare-of-death, and stormed off before he could stop her.

“See you after work?” he called to her receding form.

“Whatever!” she yelled back at him.

Knowing she’d forgive him easily, and just needed cooling off time, he trudged back to join Wilf. He had a feeling Wilf might need helping with his socks again and perhaps finding his way to the pub later!

~o~

The Doctor stepped out into the darkened garden. He’d double checked his reflection before he’d left the TARDIS, making sure he had changed out of his trademark suit, and now wore a black shirt and trousers combination. It was still smart, but not his usual look.

He’s been right about sensing them; they weren’t too far away. He hadn’t walked far across the garden when he accosted by a blur of ginger and shoved back against the garden shed. “Donna?!” he puffed out the exclamation in shock.

“There you are!” Donna told him. She ran her hands all over his torso, caressing his shoulders and taking his breath away. “I thought you were avoiding me.” Giving him no chance to reply she pressed her lips onto his, ravishing his mouth.

It took 0.355 milliseconds for him to respond; wrapping his arms around her and crushing her body to his. Kiss after kiss he stole from her lips, glorifying in their softness, whilst allowing himself the luxury of caressing her hair. “Oh Donna!” he whispered with a gasp; allowing her entry into his mouth, deepening their passionate embrace. He spun them so that she was now pressed against the shed.

“Wait! Hang on!” Donna cried. She pushed him away and studied his face intently. “You’re not David! Who are you?” She flickered her gaze about the garden fearfully, looking for someone to come and rescue her from this nightmare.

She visibly trembled in his grasp. “There there, Donna, I won’t hurt you, I promise,” he calmly spoke. She tried to wriggle away but he held her fast. “It’s okay, my love, you know who I am.”

“Oh yeah?! I don’t know who the hell you are, but when my fiancé gets back here you’ll… Where is he? Where’s David; what have you done with him? Are you one of those pod people? Did you replace him when he fell asleep? Has everyone else been replaced? Should I…?” she babbled out her frightened questions. To her amazement he began to heartily laugh as her tirade faltered. 

He wiped at his eyes, pure joy on his face. “Oh Donna Noble you have no idea how much I have missed your bizarre logic! Pod people indeed!” And he guffawed once again.

“What? What’s so funny? Why would I know you? And where is David?!” she fumed at him.

“Okay, I’ll try and answer you,” he said. He held onto his side, still shaking with laughter. “One: you Donna Noble are funny. That’s what I love about you! Two: we were friends before… some time ago. And three: who’s David and why would I know where he is?”

The main light in the kitchen was switched on, illuminating the whole of the garden; then a voice behind him asked, “Doctor? Is that you?”

It was the question he’d been dreading, and he turned slowly to see who exactly was asking it. “Yes, it’s me,” he confirmed.

“How can you be called just doctor!” Donna scoffed to his side, and he closed his eyes as he waited for the expected reaction.


	8. Bright Light, Dark Light

Wilf stood looking stunned at the Doctor, his question cold on his lips. But Sylvia beside him was more animated. “It’s his name, idiot!” Sylvia's retort snapped back at Donna without thinking.

“Sylvia! You’re not helping!” David exclaimed and glared at her. “Donna,” he spoke so softly as though to a wounded animal. “Donna my love… look at me,” he said, edging closer to her with palms outstretched. “Look, it’s me, David! That’s it, keep your attention on me and we’ll get you through this.”

“But he looks like you!” Donna agitatedly told him. “I thought it was you. I… I… I didn’t mean to kiss him. I’m sorry!”

“That’s okay. I understand,” he continued speaking softly to her, getting slowly nearer.

The Doctor watched this scene play out before him in fascination.

Sylvia found her voice, and used it loud and clearly. “Why are you apologising to him? What were you doing kissing _him_? What’s got into you and what’s it got to do with him anyway?” 

“Sylvia, be quiet!” Wilf demanded, but it was too late. Donna had broken her attention away from David and was winding up again as her fears overtook her.

“I know him! I can hear him! I can hear you too! Why can I do that? What’s going on? I can see… creatures… things! OMG! Help me!” she beseeched David, throwing out her arms towards him in a childlike manner.

David tried to hold back a sob as he felt some of her mental onslaught. He took a step closer to her in order to touch her hand and ignored the Doctor’s warning shout of, “Careful!” 

Donna’s head whipped back and an energy wave surged out of her, knocking David straight off his feet. Sylvia screamed, and Donna slumped to the ground.

~o~

Pain; deep, intense, all-encompassing pain! That’s what he felt as he swam out of the blackness towards a blurry reality. “Donna!” he shouted. Except he hadn’t shouted but had merely hoarsely whispered the cry.

A cool hand rested on his brow, stilling his rampant thoughts. “She’s here, nearby, and still alive,” the Doctor spoke, and comforted him.

“Thank you!” he said croakily, and slipped back into blackness.

~o~

Donna had been aware of strong gentle arms lifting her, and someone singing to her; a serenade of such exquisite beauty she almost wanted to cry. She was laid down on a bed of some sort, and as she stirred tender lips were pressed to her forehead. With the lips came vivid feelings of love; so vivid they overwhelmed her, and she fought to grab onto something mentally to steady herself.

 _It’s okay, Donna,_ a voice had said, _I’m here with you._

“Who are you?” Donna asked. “What’s happening?”

 _I hold you safe within my mind; safe within my love,_ they said.

“Love?” Donna questioned the voice. “Why do you love me? I’m no one; just a temp!”

 _Oh Donna! If only you knew how special you are!_ was the reply.

“Don’t give me that!” Donna scoffed.

_You are the most important person in the universe! Don’t you remember?_

“No! I don’t remember a thing!” Donna cried as she felt herself begin to panic. “Why don’t I? Did… did you find me? Am I fixed? Doctor, where are you?!”

 _Here! I’m here, right by your side,_ a gentle hand touched her shoulder. 

Donna forced her eyes open and found herself looking straight into chocolate brown ones; ones that she immediately recognised. “Doctor? Is it really you?” she asked as she took a deep breath. “Did you come back for me, after… after all this time?” She could feel the tears welling up. He nodded briefly, and she threw her arms around him, hugging as tightly as she could. “I thought my life was over,” she confessed.

“How could you think that? You knew the defence mechanism wouldn’t kill you,” he reasoned. Not that he let that stop him hugging her back with enthusiasm.

“No, you prawn! I meant when… when you… when I… left you,” she stammered out; the tears ran unbidden down her cheeks. 

He had to console her, he had to make her feel better; he had to never let her go again! “Oh my love, I’m so sorry!” he whispered, bringing his mouth closer to hers. “Have I earnt, I mean, do I get my kiss yet?” he asked as he looked expectantly at her.

“Why not?” she answered, gave a small chuckle, and closed the distance between them, softly touching his lips. 

His mouth moved over hers, pressing and caressing more determinedly with each second until they were sharing passionate kisses. This was oh so much better than earlier had been; this time she knew him, she knew him and wanted him. They deepened the kiss, and mentally reached for each other. He could cry with the satisfaction and relief of being with someone else with touch telepathy. It was utter bliss!

And inevitably there was a flash of something else, of someone else, against their combined consciousness. Donna pulled back in shock. “David!” she exclaimed with a gasp before gazing at him guiltily. “I almost forgot David!” Fresh tears began to fall. “How could I be so stupid? Why do you even bother with me?”

“Don’t cry, my love, please don’t cry! He’ll understand; I know he will!” he said, trying to placate her.

“I’m evil! I don’t deserve your love,” she wailed, sobbing into his chest.

~o~

“It’s not fair!” exclaimed Donna, as her voice came to him through the painful haze. “I was going to spend my life with him.”

He heard the Doctor answer,“And you will! There’s no need to abandon that!” 

“But that’s wrong!” Donna sounded shocked. “I can’t… _be_ … with you and with him! That’s not allowed!”

“Why not? It’s allowed within several cultures on Earth for men to have more than one wife; so why can’t a woman have two husbands?”

“Are you saying you want to marry me?” she asked as her voice went higher.

“It’s not as if we haven’t been mistaken in that way,” he griped.

“That was not the question! Answer me, Spaceman!”

“You brought up marriage, not me!” huffed the Doctor.

“I did not! You were babbling on about husbands,” she said and paused. “I take it you don’t want to marry me. Well thank you very much! So much for all that gush earlier!”

The Doctor sounded defensive now.“Hey! That’s not fair! I was all concerned, and you were crying!” 

“I see! It’s all a sham then, eh? I live happily ever after with David and you can bugger off on your own again. Is that the plan?”

“No! You’re not leaving here ever again, so you can get that thought out of your head!”

“What never?! Are you serious? What you going to do… chain me to the console or the bedpost?”

“Bedpost? Do you think I am obsessed with the… erm… the bedroom department?”

“Bedroom department!” she echoed in reply, and burst into laughter. “Are you trying to refer to sex?”

“Might be…,” he answered cagily.

“I didn’t even know you thought about sex!”

“Oi! I’m old, not past it!” the Doctor snorted his retort.

He could see her in his mind’s eye patting the Doctor’s arm. “Never mind, diddums! I understand if you have a few erectile problems.”

“What?” the Doctor spluttered. “Everything is in fine working order, thank you very much!”

“How do I know that? It’s not as if you ever use it!” she answered. Donna was obviously glorifying in teasing him in this manner.

“Do I have to show you… hang on, that came out totally wrong, and stop laughing at me! I’m trying to be perfectly serious here,” the Doctor replied and pouted, quite clearly.

“You make it difficult to believe you at times!” she answered with a giggle. “For a horrible moment I thought you were going to go into a Chippendale routine.”

“Chippendale? Why would I do that? And why would it be horrible? Plenty of women have thought I’m foxy,” he protested.

“Like a flea-bitten old coat you mean? Yeah, in that case you’re foxy!” she retorted. She couldn’t hold in her glee at his discomfort. “Where are all these women then? Can you point them out to me? As long as it doesn’t turn into too much of a freak show…”

“Donna Noble, you are impossible!”

“Impossible, or just a little bit unlikely?” she mischievously asked.

Peals of laughter rung out from the Doctor. “As long as you stay here with me, I don’t mind what you are.”

“I’d better check with Happy Harry over there before I give you my final answer,” she said. Donna was obviously referring to him now as he lay listening to their banter. “I know you can hear us so don’t pretend otherwise.”

“I don’t know, almost die saving the woman you love and you get berated for it as soon as you open your eyes,” David grouched playfully. His mouth felt like sandpaper and his stomach groaned hungrily as if it thought his throat had been cut.

Donna appeared by his side, and began smoothing back his hair with a loving gesture. “What kind of idiot takes a punch like that, eh?” she softly asked. “You weren’t supposed to jump in front of an energy wave like that and give yourself a heart attack!”

He feebly lifted a hand to her face. “Did it work okay? Did I drain it off properly?”

“Yes, for now; but you’ll have to stay with her to prevent it happening again,” the Doctor explained.

Donna and David exchanged an ecstatic look. “Are you saying we can stay here with you, Spaceman?” 

“I’d love it!” he replied, practically twinkling at her, and she threw herself into his arms to hug him again. “There is something you need to do first,” he reminded her, “I’ll come with you as David isn’t up to it yet.”

“Thank you,” she whispered before kissing him.

~o~

Donna nervously adjusted her jacket, glanced back to check the Doctor was standing nearby, and then knocked on Shaun’s door. It was ripped open within seconds by Shaun himself.

Seeing both of them standing there Shaun quickly guessed where this might be going. “You’re calling it off, aren’t you? You’re going with _him_!”

“Shaun, I don’t want to hurt you by telling you lies,” Donna spoke hesitantly as she fidgeted with her hands, “but yes, yes I am. Wait!” She grasped his arm when he groaned in pain. “I knew him long before I ever met you; during the time I lost my memory. I’m so sorry, Shaun; but I love him.” She’d glanced back at the Doctor when she said that, causing a pleasant tingle in his body.

“Why did he turn up now, just when you’d said ‘yes’?” Shaun asked, pain etched on his face.

“I honestly don’t know, but I think it was a mere coincidence. He’s been looking for me for ages. It’s not that I don’t feel anything for you, you’re such a lovely bloke, but I need him. I never meant it to be like this,” she admitted as she placed a small kiss on his cheek and stepped away. 

Shaun’s face crumpled as he fought with his emotions, and he forced himself to watch her walk away and take the arm of the Doctor, who looked like the cat that had got the cream. Lucky bastard!

Shaun slammed the door shut, but neither Donna nor the Doctor looked back. They carried on walking towards their future together on the TARDIS, enjoying the happy buzz of their mental connection.


	9. Coming Back to the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donna returns to the TARDIS.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My problem here was finding a way to write a threesome.

They entered the TARDIS still hand in hand, mind in mind, determined to push away the pain they may have caused with their decision and revelling in their new found happiness.

Shutting the doors, the Doctor sent them into the vortex with Donna’s help at the controls. He eyed her keenly, “So… do I call you Donna or DoctorDonna now?”

She laughed delightedly, sounding like tinkling bells in his consciousness. “I don’t care what you call me as long as you _do_!”

He groaned, “That is such a lame joke! I thought you could do better than that.”

“I am doing better,” she purred as she made her way to him, “I’m here with you, aren’t I?”

He ran his hands down her arms, and grasped her hands. “Oh yes! That’s miles better in my opinion.” 

She smiled mischievously at him. “What else? I have a feeling we have unfinished business.”

“I do believe you’re correct.” He released one hand so that he could indulge his need to caress her ginger locks. “Would it be presumptuous of me to…?”

“What’s that, Spaceman?” Donna pressed herself against his body, loving the sensations it caused in her; so very different to the ones she received from David.

He brought his lips slowly down onto hers. “Possess you…” 

It was extremely sensual as he opened her mouth, tasting her and drinking her in. God it was sexy! She couldn’t keep her hands off his head, as he skimmed her curves, ending on her pert bottom. 

He yearned to caress her long legs; he just wanted to show her how much he loved all of her! Their passionate embrace was wonderful until she brought a hand down to run it over his arousal. “Donna! I’m not sure I can!” he cried anxiously.

She immediately withdrew from the action and tenderly kissed his eyes, his nose and then his mouth. “Sorry! Don’t worry! I understand. This is a big step for you; and we don’t need to.”

He gasped with relief. “Thank you, my beautiful Donna! I… I don’t know why this is a problem…”

She placed a hand over his mouth to hush him. “Shush! I told you… I don’t mind! Shall we just go and cuddle for now?” He gave her an enthusiastic nod, until she released him, and led him to somewhere more comfortable.

~o~

“Donna? Donna! Where are you?” David rolled over despondently on his bed. She appeared by his side within seconds.

Donna rubbed her hand across his shoulder and down his arm. “I’m here! Don’t panic!” she soothed him.

He held up his free arm. “Please! I need you with me!” He gazed up at her with large puppy-dog eyes.

“Shove over then!” she instructed him, and she climbed onto the bed next to him, wrapping her arms around him. “Now remember, Mister, no physical exertion for now. You’re recovering from a heart attack!”

He pouted. “None at all? Are you sure?”

“Sure! Why? What were you thinking of?” she giggled.

He began to kiss her neck, working his way up her throat to her jaw, and then onto her mouth. “Nothing that can wait. We could always get a bit creative if you like?” He rolled her on top of him. “You can steer if you like.”

“Does that make you my little engine that could?” she teased as she straddled him and kissed down his throat in return. “I’m don’t think this is wise.”

He caressed her breasts. “Who said anything we did was wise? Fun, yes! And we’ve gone too long without each other. Go on… I know you want to!”

She moved her lower body against him. “Apparently so do you, Sunshine!”

He pulled her head down so that he could kiss her lips. “I promise to repay the favour later if you do this for me now,” he whispered to her.

She panted in anticipation. “Should we check with the Doctor first? Find out if this is okay? I don’t want to risk losing you. I couldn’t bare it!”

He hugged her close as she shed tears long overdue. “I’m still here. I told you I won’t leave you again.” He kissed her hair and wiped away her tears.

He concentrated with her to send out their message to the Doctor; who responded quickly with his fears and advice to go slowly. They agreed to let him feel their liaison too so that he could assess David’s condition.

“I’ve never been in a threesome,” Donna nervously snickered. “This is weird!”

_Don’t worry; we’re here all together_ , the Doctor reassured her, _neither of us will let this get out of control._

All she felt was love; deep, encompassing love, as she looked down at the man beneath her. “Here goes!” She took a deep breath and began to undo David’s shirt buttons.

His eyes glowed back at her with affection and passion. “Be gentle with me, my love. You don’t want me to make a noise, do you; the neighbours might hear,” he smirked.

“You silly sod!” she laughed. “That was the whole point of this after all.”

They grinned together as she undid his trousers. “What? Not commando this time?” she teased. “You’re slipping!”

“The word I’d use is ‘straining’, but you carry on, don’t mind me!” He beamed. “Or shall I help with your straps?”

She batted away his hands. “You’re supposed to lie back and enjoy this; so do as you’re told! Now lift your bum so I can release you properly.”

He watched with anticipation as she pulled his trousers down before she also removed her clothes, above him, regretting the fact he couldn’t help with her bra; until she wore only her knickers. “Can I cut them off if I’m not allowed to rip them off?”

“Why?” She tried not to glare at him.

“Because I’ve always wanted to do that.” He shrugged sheepishly. “What? Can’t a man have a fantasy?”

He formed another fantasy when she leant over to grab a pair of scissors. “Your wish is my command.” She handed them to him, and he severed the cotton sides with a smug flourish.

“We have got to do that again. Aaarrrrgghhhh!” He almost bit his lip with pleasure as Donna rose and sank slowly down onto him. “Oh yes! Oh my love!”

_Move slowly, just like that_. She felt the Doctor’s instruction and had to resist grinning like a loon.

“Is he butting in?” David asked incredulously. “Cheek!”

_You asked for me to do this_. They could feel the Doctor’s pout.

“Yes, but you’re putting me off!” Donna giggled. “Can you button it unless I’m doing something dangerous?”

There was a surge of sulkiness in return. _Last time I try to help! Go have your fun without me! I’ll just wait here._

“You liar!” David snickered, “You can’t fool me! You, Doctor, are extremely aroused! And don’t try to deny it.”

_Damn you! I thought I’d hidden that._

“When will you learn that you can’t lie to us?” Donna added for good measure. “Now could you think some thoughts that are more pleasant, please? The images of George W. Bush are NOT helping!” She paused for a few seconds. “I’m waiting! You are sick using decapitated puppies!” Still no change. “I see! In that case...” She began to concentrate on when David had pushed her down on to the bed to taste her…

David groaned loudly in response below her.

_I give up! You win, you saucy minx!_ The Doctor began to feed through his own feelings from earlier. They were embraced by a wave of desire.

“Bloody hell!” gasped David. “I’m…!!!!”

Donna shuddered above him, joining in his yelps. “Are you okay, Doctor?” She breathed heavily.

_Fine; very fine_ , he replied with a smile. _I could get to like this!_

“Do you think so?” Donna shared a smile with David. She leant forward and kissed him passionately. “I love you!”

She got back two replies.

~o~

Donna skipped into the Doctor’s bedroom and hugged him closely. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Why? What have I done right?” He grinned. “You’ll give me a complex being this nice to me.”

“I can go off people, you know! I was going to offer to cook your favourite meal, but if you’d rather I did tripe and onions…,” she playfully threatened. “Or I could come back tomorrow.”

“What as?” he laughed. “Do you think you could come back as Nigella?”

“You saucy git! What’s she got that I haven’t? Apart from pots of money from marrying a millionaire and a cookery series on the BBC? I could suck my fingers like that when I cook.” She brought her lips to his ear. “But I’d rather do that when I’m with you.”

He coughed nervously, adjusted his tie and blew out a breath slowly. “Are you trying to get me worked up?”

“Might be!” She winked at him. “It is more fun when you are.”

“You are a bad influence on me! I haven’t forgiven you for Pridas yet,” he retorted.

“That wasn’t me! You wouldn’t do that stupid service so that they could get on with their celebrations,” she accused him.

“In the buff, Donna! I wasn’t going to do that!” he told her indignantly. “And I wasn’t going to force you to go through with it!” 

“You wasn’t? Oh! Maybe I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that then,” she reasoned.

“No you shouldn’t!” He blushed. “I had to tell them you were in heat to cover up the fact you’d…”

“That I’d…?” she snickered. “You are allowed to say the words, you know!”

“It’s not the same as when we… when you…” He blushed a deeper red. “It isn’t the same, so don’t smirk at me!”

She threw her arms around his neck, and gave him a big smacker on the cheek. “I love you just the way you are. I don’t need some ceremony thrown together by the Pridasians, or whoever they are, to know that! Now stop worrying, will you?”

“Yes, Donna!” he laughed. He gave her a squeeze. “Are you two… later?”

“Probably, knowing David. Why? Ooh! I can feel that makes you a little bit excited!” She stopped teasing for a second and lovingly caressed his face. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“It’s not as if you exclude me, is it?” he argued. But she felt a strain of jealousy hidden deep within him.

She mentally reassured him while bringing her lips up to his to share a passionately sensual kiss.

_Put her down!_ Came the voice of David, making them both giggle. _I know what you are doing!_

Donna pushed back at him, _Then come here, you prawn!_

This was proving to be a great deal of fun.


	10. The Thrill of the Dark

Donna finished washing her hair and shut the shower off. The bathroom the TARDIS had given her glorious! So much luxury and space; you could hold a party in there… if you were so inclined.

She stretched out a hand for a towel, wiping her face quickly before wrapping it around her head. She turned to grab a bath sheet when something prodded her. “What? What do you want? Can’t I have a minute’s peace?” she griped as she swept her gaze over the bathroom cabinet for her comb.

_Taking a shower, eh?_ a sultry voice asked her. _Care for a little companionship?_

“You saucy bugger! I’m sopping wet standing here and all you can think of is…” She chuckled as desire was filtered through their connection. “What are you trying to do to me? I’d never get out of the bedroom if you had your way!” her delight was felt clear across the TARDIS.

_Me? I’m only offering to come and dry your back!_ He laughed at her delight. _I can’t help it if finally being able to do this whenever I like does things to me! I blame you._

“I expect you would!” she readily agreed. “But aren’t you supposed to be helping to fix the cryostic feedback portal?”

_Would you really rather I did that? Or would you prefer Captain Underpants to ‘service’ you?_

She laughed. “Stop calling him that! He might threaten to chuck you out at the first opportunity.”

_Nah! He loves me too much to do that!_

There was a deep rumbling answer to that, which clearly showed the Doctor did not entirely approve.

“I did warn you, Earthman! Now say sorry to him.” She smirked at her reflection as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, before “OW!” ing whilst combing a decidedly awkward knot out.  
 _  
Are you hurt? Would you like me to come and… and…_ There was an image of gentle hands caressing and stroking her hair before other thoughts were pushed into her head.

“Doctor, you can come and comb my hair if you want; and David! Play nicely!” she ordered as she went to open her door, anticipating the Doctor’s appearance.

_Yes dear!_ came the sarky reply.

“Watch it, or you won’t be the one I marry on the next planet where we have to; I’ll let the Doctor have the honours again,” she playfully threatened.  
 _  
You wouldn’t!_ he gasped. _It’s my turn!_

“Easy come, easy go.” She examined her nails in a defiant manner. “Might do a better job of the wedding night too.”

_You what?_ he protested. _Do you really want his hands all over you? Hang on… scrub that thought, as I know you do! What I’m trying to say is…_

“Hurry up caller, I have another person on the line,” she used a mock old-style BBC accent, just as the Doctor walked through her door and she handed him her comb. “Hello darling!” she greeted him with a kiss.  
 _  
Oh no you don’t! I’m not having this!_ David huffed. _You can’t give me the flick just when it pleases you!_

The Doctor began to comb her hair as she sat down on the bed. She groaned with pleasure at his gentle touch. She leant back into his caress, placing a hand upon his thigh. “You’re almost too good at this,” she sighed, “I could let you do this forever.”

He brought his mouth next to her ear. “I can take as long as you want me to.”

“Now there’s an offer I can’t refuse!” She pressed her back against him. “Do you fancy a spot of massaging as well?”

He continued to stroke her hair, with soft tender touches. “I think that can be arranged.”

_No! No you don’t! Not without me you don’t!_ David almost exploded in her head.

“I think someone is a little upset,” she smirked at the Doctor. She rubbed both of her hands along his thighs now, increasingly getting nearer to his groin. “Are you feeling a little up yet?”

His composure was calm, but his breathing had changed; and she knew from their connection that he was anything but calm. Plus the fact that a part of him was pressing very firmly into her lower back.

“Donna I…,” he began to say as he kissed her, from below her ear, down her neck, and around to her throat. “I want…”

“Tell me!” she breathed heavily. “Tell me what you want.”

_I want you two to stop right now! This is my territory!_ came David’s desperate plea.

“Territory?!” Donna started at his tone. “Since when was I anybody’s bloody territory!  You are treading on thin ice, Mister!”

“Try to understand, Donna,” the Doctor pleaded with her. “He doesn’t mean to offend you.”

She ignored David’s agreement with him, and deliberately turned slightly to grasp his head and bring his lips down onto hers. “If I choose you tonight what would you say?”

He answered by kissing her back with equal fervour. He brought his hands to caress the smooth skin on her back, drawing the towel down in doing so and crushing her body against his. Donna in turn released one hand from his head to begin popping open his shirt buttons. She snaked her other hand down to caress his torso, tugging at his tie to remove it from the scene. “Don’t choke me!” he warned her between tongue duels.

“Then take it off!” she moaned. “Why do you always have to wear so many blimming layers?”

David burst through the door, glaring at them angrily. “What’s the big idea getting the TARDIS to waylay me? That’s unfair! And _you_ are in my spot!” He pointed an accusing finger at the Doctor.

“I am NOT a comfy chair, Sunshine!” Donna glared back at him. “I waylaid you because I fancied trying out something different; someone who doesn’t see me as a piece of property!”

“You know that’s not true! Donna! How could you? I was the one you…” David faltered in his grief, stumbling towards her. His expression was stricken and he held out his arms to beg for forgiveness.

Donna let him come to her to seek comfort. She felt his lips seek hers desperately, his hands holding her head steady as he sought to repossess her. She didn’t care that the towel had slipped down; all she cared about were the two sets of hands on her body gently caressing her freshly scented skin. She could feel the physical arousal of one man and knew the arousal of both of them. It was the most erotic sensation she had ever felt.

It was almost her undoing when she felt the Doctor’s hot breath against her breasts. “How do you want us to do this, Donna?” David asked softly as he plundered her mouth.

“You with less clothes on for a start!” she replied.

“What? I’m not getting naked in front of him!” His indignation was all too evident.

“I’ve seen it all before!” the Doctor retorted.

“Yes! But not on me!” David moaned.

“Oh for the love of…!” Donna burst out. “You’ll be getting out your Batman masks next!... now that’s an idea. Doctor, do you have a mask to wear, so that Earthboy doesn’t have to flash you his bits?”

“I think so,” he thought carefully.

“Right, while you go get it...” She turned to point at David. “...you can get undressed and under the sheets.”

“I love it when you’re all masterful!” he joked, helping Donna extricate herself from the Doctor’s lap.

“Well, if you are going to enjoy the ride, as it were, he can at least hold my hand; you owe him that much.” She got the distinct feeling David was not all that willing but it was better than the alternative, and he knew it.

As the Doctor reappeared with a thick piece of silk he showed it to David. “Is this good enough for you?”

David nodded in reply. “I never thought I’d be the prude in the scenario.” And they both laughed.  
 _  
Prudishness isn’t the problem here though, is it?_ the Doctor laughed in his mind; and he had to agree.

Donna led the Doctor to the bed and sat him down. “Do you want... erm… adjust yourself or make yourself more comfortable before you put this on? I promise not to look.”

“Donna, I really don’t know about this. I know you mean well by letting me take part in this way, but…”

She halted his words with a kiss. “It doesn’t seem fair to let you be alone all the time, without any physical contact.” She giggled when he blushed deeply, and kissed him again. “We broke the momentum, didn’t we?” He nodded back at her mutely. “Go on then! Go and be somewhere else; and we’ll carry on as normal.”

He kissed her passionately before admitting, “I won’t always be able to resist this.”

“I know,” she whispered back. Then she gleefully patted his bum as he retreated from her room.

“What are you doing all the way over there?” David gave her his best sulky pout.

She climbed onto the bed, and released the towel as sexily as she could. “Waiting for everyone to be in their first positions, but I see we are, so let’s begin!”

He threw back the bed sheet. “Do you want to bring all that hotness over here?”

“No, that’s alright, thanks! I think I’ll cope without you.” She grinned mischievously at him.

“Too right you will!” He made a grab for her, and knelt with her, bringing most of his body flush with hers. “There are still a few things you need me for, Missy!”

She pretended to consider that. “I bought a gadget to open jars. And the TARDIS deals with emptying the bins.”

She squealed as he pushed her down onto the bed. _You could always shut her up with the scarf_ , the Doctor suggested.

“You wouldn’t?!” Donna looked scared for a moment.

David picked up the silk scarf, and weighed up his options. “How badly do you want me?”

“Alive is quite nice; which you won’t be if you bring that thing near me!” she threatened.

He gave her a wicked grin. “You mean like this?” He draped it across her throat, then swiped it away. She glared at him until he started to kiss where the scarf had been.

_Good manoeuvre,_ the Doctor encouraged.

“Oi! Zip it, Spaceman!” Donna huffed.

They felt his pout. _I only said!_

“And that’s all you’ll be getting if we shut down this connection!” She could feel her ardour starting to cool.

“Now now, Donna, don’t be so hast.” David brought his clever tongue and even more talented hands into play. “Leave the poor bloke alone… with his thoughts; his very passionate thoughts…”

_Ooh! Good point,_ the Doctor quickly agreed, _how about I do this?_

Donna almost convulsed with the pleasure that suddenly surged through her body. She was too busy gasping for breath to speak for a while, ending with her yelping with satisfaction as the two men gave her and them a very happy ending.

_Was that better than gagging her?_ the Doctor asked.

“Oh yes!” David joyfully agreed. He leant over to kiss a silent but sated Donna. “I think we might have broken her though.”  
 _  
We’ll just have to keep going until we get it right,_ the Doctor offered. _It might take ages…_

“Or years and years,” David sighed. He snuggled into the now half-asleep Donna, before sending the Doctor his own special brand of love.

~o~

It was a decidedly weird moment; one among thousands of weird moments she’s had since she first stepped on board the TARDIS. It said something that it was particularly noteworthy. And it had to happen on Earth of all places; 16th century Earth to be precise!

Standing a few metres away from her was a child. His age was indeterminable; he looked to be about 8 years old, but the feelings he gave off were of a much different age. He gazed at her with dejected longing, his eyes seemed familiar and then again not. Whilst she pondered his appearance he opened his mouth and spoke slowly.

“Are you… Donna?” he asked hesitantly. 

He kept his gaze fixed firmly on her, never wavering left nor right. It ought to have felt awkward and uneasy, but instead she felt as if she understood his dilemma.

“Yes,” she answered equally softly. “Can I help you?”

“I came…” His voice broke slightly on the words, as though his emotions had to be held in check. “…I came to see my father.”

“Your father? Do I know him? Am I right in thinking you haven’t…?” She gasped in realisation. “You’ve never actually seen him, have you?”

The boy shook his head sadly; oh so sadly. He looked sharply to his left; then with a quick glance back at her he rushed off down an alleyway through the buildings of the square she was standing in. A cold chill gripped her heart.

“Donna? What’s wrong?” David stood before her, the Doctor a few steps behind, and both covered in an evil smelling grim. He looked down at himself, and grinned. “We did it! They’ll never have that thing hold the city to ransom again!”

She did the only thing that seemed right at that moment. She threw herself into his waiting arms and hugged him as tightly as her love would allow.


	11. A Dark Night of Sorts

It surprised Donna exceedingly that the Doctor was increasingly becoming more tactile with her. It wasn’t unwanted, not by a long chalk, but it was creating new problems; mainly of the jealousy variety.

In the past seven days or so the Doctor had managed to brush closely by her several times in the kitchen; had shielded her from unwanted attention in a nook on Matlepharius VI by pressing her up against the rock face in a very compromising position; had needed to prevent her getting hypothermia by encompassing her body from behind, and thereby massaging her breasts until she had almost begged him for release; and to top it all he had ‘accidentally’ climbed into her bed whilst she slept, saying he had walked into the wrong room after working late in the console room. He hadn’t done anything worse than cuddle her all night, but it wasn’t like his normal behaviour; in fact it was closer to David’s now that she thought about it.

She decided that the next time they were forced to be alone together she would find out exactly what his intentions towards her were. That would mean, of course, that David would be indisposed somewhere, and knowing how possessive he could be she immediately began to worry. She hadn’t told David of any of these things that had happened between her and the Doctor, but that didn’t mean he was unaware; he probably knew all about it at the time. It would account for his sulky mood, and his need to be more… ‘Rough’ wasn’t quite the right word, but he wasn’t being his usual gentle self.

Perhaps the next planet would make things clearer?

~o~

It was hot. The twin suns beat down on them as they trudge the mile to the outer city wall. Why couldn’t they ever have a decent bus service on these alien planets?

The other thing they didn’t normally have was a decent greeting party, but angry blokes with lethal weapons. That one was getting a bit old now. As they eyed the distant skyline there was a noise that was reminiscent of Star Wars Episode 1. Any moment now they’d be led into a dungeon of some sort and the evening’s entertainment would kick in. Later on they expected to find out what the hell was the matter with this place! Until then, bread and water was on the menu.

The blokes carrying the weapons seem to think Donna was the greater threat, judging by the way they encircled her and carefully watched her movements. David in particular was having a problem coping with their behaviour. _I’m all right, don’t worry_ , she consoled him.

He shot her a worried glance. _I won’t believe that until we leave here!_

_This is getting to be a pain!_ she griped. _Their eyes are not staying where they should do, and I’m tempted to smack ‘em one!_

_Don’t do that!_ The Doctor sounded worried too. _You don’t want to risk anything like that._

_I know!_ she huffed at him. _I have done this before!_

As they were led into the entrance of the inevitable cells, one of the guards made a predatory movement towards Donna. David jump in the way to protect her, but the guards grabbed him and dragged him in a separate direction. David mentally cried out for them but the Doctor and Donna were restrained from helping. The Doctor was shocked but managed to keep surreptitiously by her side until they were guided to the same cell as each other.

The sound of David’s mental wail was heart-breaking; until they managed to silently convince him they were okay. The guards must have thought Donna and the Doctor were special because they were placed alone from other prisoners, in a cell together. “Can’t you do something, Doctor?” Donna asked him about David.

“Are you sure you want me to?” he asked hesitantly.

She nodded. “He’s in so much mental anguish! I can’t bare it.”

The Doctor concentrated intensely, and then there was silence from David. “He won’t feel anything for a few hours,” he stated.

“You knocked him out? What if he’s attacked or something?” she fretted, playing with the bottom of her sleeves.

“Then he’d wake immediately, with no hesitation.” He pulled her into his arms, rubbing reassuring small circles on her back and placing teeny kisses along her hair line.

“You always know how to make me feel better.” She gazed lovingly into his eyes.

He progressed down her face, coming to her mouth, where he began to place more sensual kisses. “Can I make you feel better still?”

She smiled. “Is that a proper offer?” She opened to him, allowing their kisses to deepen.

“Boy is it!” He decided not to quash his arousal this time. This felt good; just him, her and a bed, of some sort, in the corner. He threaded one hand in her hair and the other pressed her lower body to his.

As always their connection sparked in fantastic ways, and Donna began to wonder, yet again, what it would be like to finally be one with him. “Tell me what you want me to do.” She stroked his chest beneath his jacket. “I’m not sure how you want me.”

“Oh Donna!” he groaned, both mentally and physically. “I’ve no idea where to start!”

She couldn’t resist giggling. “That’s a first! You normally have a starting position but not necessarily a finishing one!”

He smirked back at her. “Oh, I have a definite finishing point! One where you’re all sweaty and screaming…”

“Excuse me, sir? Are you the Doctor?” A loud voice suddenly spoke to them through the grill of the cell door. “Only, I have a message for you!”

The Doctor broke reluctantly from his embrace with Donna to survey the person who had posed the question. He gave a cough before answering, “Yes, I’m the Doctor. Can I help you?” He deliberately ignored Donna’s mental plea for him to not ask that for once!

“It’s from the Prince,” the person told him, as the Doctor stepped up the door peep through at him. “There seems to have been a mistake.”

“What sort of mistake?” The Doctor’s fingers flew to cover the hiding position of the sonic screwdriver just in case it was needed.  


~o~

They were shown into an antechamber and told to wait patiently until the Prince would grant them an audience. The grandeur of the room they stood in was as overwhelming as any other palace they’d been in. “Have you been here before?” Donna whispered to the Doctor.

“No, never; but for some reason they seem to know me!” he softly replied back.

“Are you the stuff of legend around here?” she impishly asked, causing him to smile and tug her closer.

“Nuh! Though I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a future self having been here,” he pondered.

“Can you do that trick they did in Bill & Ted, where you conveniently hide keys or a stash of chocolate?” Donna considered. “That would be very handy!”

He laughed. “I’ll have to leave myself notes where to hide something, won’t I?”

She released his hand and looked behind a flamboyant curtain. She shrugged. “No sign of anything useful here! Not even a dust bunny.”

“Shame! I shall have to tell my future self off, won’t I?” he giggled.

“Are you saying that I won’t be around to remind you about this?” Donna suddenly gasped. “That’s worrying… very worrying!”

“Perhaps you’re in another room right now feasting on Cadbury Twirls?” he suggested. “I can imagine you gorging on a mountain of that.”

“Yeah, that would be it.” She tried to smile back at him and not feel something ominous instead.

A flunky appeared to distract her, and he led them through a doorway to greet the Prince and find out how he knew the Doctor.  


~o~

It turned out that a future Doctor had been there. He’d overthrown a tyrant, freed the Prince’s family, and helped the Prince marry politically wisely.

Who’d have thought the Prince would insist they were shown to a suite with all the standards of a five star hotel? He’d been a bit reluctant to release David too, but the guards had carried his prone body to a side room in the fabulous suite they now stood in. “Why would you want your twin to stay in the same quarters as you and your wife, Doctor?” the Prince had asked.

“My wife would never forgive me if we were not certain his every whim was being catered for!” the Doctor had replied; having warned Donna to keep schtum! He could feel she had to bite her lip in order to do so.

They’d both checked on David, feeling for themselves that he was sleeping happily in his semi-conscious state. Donna smoothed back the hair from his face, unable to completely leave him alone. “He really is beautiful, isn’t he?” she whispered to the Doctor.

He tried hard to fight the jealousy that overcame him, knowing and understanding the special place David held in her heart but hating it all the same. “I suppose so,” he agreed reluctantly.

She heard the tone in his voice, of course, and quickly led him away firmly out of ear shot and into their separate room. She smoothed a hand down his face too. “You are very beautiful too. Do you know that?” But he bowed his head modestly and blushed. “You are!” she insisted. “And I love you very much.”

“But not as much as David,” he added tersely.

She placed both hands on his cheeks and forced him to look her in the eyes. “Now listen! I loved you first; and I will love you always. I thought you knew that,” she spoke softly. “I will be yours forever.”

“Oh Donna!” he choked out, before capturing her lips. “And I yours.”

She wove her hands into his hair, bringing him down to her, and crushing her body against his. “I need you. I need you so much!”

“Donna, I don’t think I can hold back any longer!” he admitted sheepishly. “I’m not sure if you’d be happy with that.”

“I’ve got it covered; the TARDIS provided me with protection,” she reassured him. “So no worries about nasty space thingamajigs.”

He broke from their passionate embrace. “What? Do you think I’ve got space lurgies or something?” he asked indignantly.

“You lick everything within a five mile radius and you wonder why I’m a bit reluctant to have unprotected sex?! Try thinking about it, Sunshine!” she huffed.

“Is that why you’ve been so understanding with me?! I never thought to question it before.” He tried to quell his own misgivings.

“Well, that is part of it, but…,” she faltered as she contemplated him. “I suppose you ought to know about David… I’m beginning to suspect he might be a Jaffa,” she told him forlornly.

“A what?” he asked. “Are we talking wasps, fruit, cake, or Disney characters here?”

She laughed. “Not Jafar, you prawn! ‘Jaffa’ as in seedless oranges.”

He grinned broadly. “I might be able to help with that, if you want?”

“Don’t you dare tell him I said anything for the time being!” she threatened him.

“Oh no!” he beamed. “I’ll be very discrete with my investigations.” He eyed the very comfortable looking bed in their room. “In the meantime… would you care to join me in an experiment all of our own?” He gave her an eyebrow waggle for good measure.

“Hmmm… I’m not sure. I’ll need a bit of persuading,” she countered.

He swooped to lift her up, carrying her over to the bed and sparking her desire for him a thousand fold. “Then I shall have to use my weaponry.”

All her nerve endings began to tingle with expectant delight. “How do you do that?”

He smirked knowingly. “That would be telling; and it’s my best kept secret!” He attacked her lips with fervour, taking away any apprehensions she may have had, and leaving her panting for him.

They slowly undid each other’s buttons and fastenings, enjoying the anticipation as each layer came off; and for once Donna didn’t moan about how much the Doctor normally wore. This time it added to the fun! As each piece of bare skin was revealed it was kissed and admired in equal measure; until, finally, they were both totally naked. Her skin felt alive with the electricity produced between them, their connection causing a delicious buzzing sensation that made her yearn for his body in a way she had never felt before. She tried to gently roll the condom onto him but her hands shook with the enormity of it and the situation; her body almost screamed with its need for his attention.

Feeling from him the vestiges of his inability to take this final step, she pulled his face close to hers, to tell him, “I love you, and I want you.”

David abruptly awoke from his slumber, feeling the connection between the other two burst forth into something much more meaningful. _NO!_ he screamed in the Doctor’s mind. _Don’t do this! Please don’t! I beg of you!_

Donna was unable to hear him above her ardour, her all-encompassing thrill with being overwhelmed by the Doctor’s desire; and the Doctor, for once, actively ignored the plea and merely tried to calm him again.

David felt the initial moment of coupling and broke down; spiralling into a pit of despair. He knew he should not have been surprised by their inevitable need for each other, since they had been in love long before he existed, but… it hurt, it hurt like hell!

_Join us_ , the Doctor tried to placate him. _We have room for you._

David tried not to be petulant back. The Doctor had been so gracious towards him in the past. Reluctantly, he opened his connection to them both, and joined with their love-making; his gratitude expounded when he felt Donna orgasm each time because it was truly wonderful! He felt eternally loved and blessed.

~o~

As the Doctor snuggled with Donna he mentally went through the pros and cons of knocking David out again in the near future. He rubbed his nose against her neck, placed a small kiss there, and allowed himself to fall asleep.


	12. Dark Nights

David hid himself in his bedroom as soon as they entered the TARDIS again. He wanted to be away from them; away from their glow; away from the sight of them grinning at each other like love-sick cows. Not that he’d been particularly good company on the way back from the Prince’s palace.

The Prince had harped on and on about the Doctor and his _wife_ (that description had really stuck in his claw), and the helpless brother as he’d unfortunately become. He’d smiled as politely as he could at the Prince’s daughter who’d insisted on trying to charm him; he was well aware of the motivation behind it too. As if he could be a political pawn like that! And Donna had… he felt choked! Donna had hardly looked his way, she’d been so engrossed with talking with the Doctor, laughing at his jokes, caressing his arm, and other parts of him no doubt under the table!

Jealousy and anger raged in him. He wanted to scream at them; beg her to return to his arms; squash the Doctor’s smug face right into the… What was he thinking? She loved him because they were one and the same, and different. What choice did she really have? He wanted to sob. Why shouldn’t he sob? She was _his_! He’d found her, he’d saved her from certain death. She needed him like no other. That fact consoled him, as he lay stricken on his bed.

The soft tap on his door did not surprise him in the least, especially when Donna poked her head round the door to call to him. “David? Can I come in?”

He couldn’t find it within him to be angry with her, not when she stood there with so much concern on her face. Instead he beckoned her over to sit with him on the bed. “Yes,” he answered, equally softly. He held out his arms to her and she flew into his embrace, kissing his tear-sodden face.

“I’m sorry; so sorry,” she sobbed. “But I…”

“You don’t have to explain,” he stilled her lips. “You’re here now, and that’s all that counts.” 

He pulled her to him, kissing her with open need, vulnerable in his ardour. She found herself responding to his fervent caresses, as he mapped out her curves and tasted her unique flavour. “I’m not sure if we should, David,” she whispered. She instantly felt his anger and his need for her. 

“Please, Donna! I… I miss you,” he pouted.

She chuckled. “Anyone would think I left you for weeks on end by yourself!” 

“You forget that you did; long ago,” he argued before capturing her lips, kissing her with pent up passion. “I couldn’t bear loosing you. Please love me again.”

“You prawn! I’ve never stopped loving you.”

“Then give me this, for once.” He gave her the big sad puppy-dog eyes, and she melted into submission. He stroked his fingers along her chin, adoring the way her soft skin felt, and her fragrance as he moved his fingers into her hair. “You’re so beautiful,” he told her huskily. “I wish I could give you more.” He kissed her mouth tenderly, “I’ll never regret finding you again.”

“Nor I,” she replied. “I owe you my very existence.”

He smiled back. “Now there’s irony for you!” And they giggled together. He then watched closely as he stroked a finger down her throat and brought it down to rest on her heart, circling it. “Am I in there?” His eyes beseeched her.

“Definitely,” she assured him. “There’s plenty of room for you.” She wriggled against him. “Even though you’re a very big boy!”

“You saucy minx!” He beamed, leering at her. “I may make you eat your words!”

“You’ll have to earn _that_ privilege, Sunshine!” she laughed back. “Though, if you are in an eating mood…” She seductively walked her fingers his chest, and began to undo his buttons.

“Ooh! You still think about that, do you?” He smugly grinned when she nodded back at him. He took a firm grip of her waistband. “In that case, how about we have a little fun going down memory lane?” He inched her trousers and knickers slowly down simultaneously. “I’m sure we can come to some arrangement.”

“I’m sure we can,” she readily agreed, “especially if you… do… that… and… Awww!” It was time to lie back and think of England, or anything else you might fantasise about!

“Scream if you want me to go faster,” he instructed her; knowing full well that she’d do more than that.

~o~

Donna found the Doctor sitting quietly in the library, staring into the fireplace. She immediately went over to consolingly take his arm. “What’s the matter, Spaceman?” she asked, dreading the answer.

“It’s still the same, isn’t it?” He turned to gaze at her intently. Hurt sat heavily on his features. “We had that amazing experience, and you went straight back to him as if nothing had happened.” He gave a sniff. “Well, what did I expect?” His bitterness rolled off him in waves.

Tears dripped unbidden down her cheeks, desperate to find the right words that expressed her feelings. “Don’t make me choose, please don’t, because I can’t and I won’t!” she gently told him. “I love you both so very much. He needs me and I certainly need him!” she reached up to caress his face, moving her fingertips down his sideburn. “But I have loved you for so long I don’t know where to even begin…,” she took a deep breath as his deeply pained eyes bore into her. “We have to make this work, somehow, between the three of us, or I have to leave you both. And you know full well I don’t want to do that.”

“You’d die,” he stated; not knowing what else to say.

“Yes.” She nodded at him. “If that is the alternative then I’ll be forced to take it.” Her face crumpled, and she wept openly. “I don’t want to live without you again, so I’d rather die.”

“No!” he trembled as he grasped her weeping form. “Don’t leave me, please don’t!”

They clung together, and sobbed in each other’s arms.

~o~

They settled into an agreed pattern; where Donna got to choose who she spent time with. She tried to be as fair minded as possible while taking into account the needs of the men in her life. The major part of the agreement was that she would take care of them as long as they took care of her. It was beginning to work quite well.

The first visit home to Sylvia and Wilf loomed largely on the horizon. The Doctor had teased David endlessly about it, offering to hide him or switch suits. Donna was not impressed!

“Look! I know my mother has this power over you, but she is only a human after all’s said and done! She isn’t a Dalek commander or the Master!” she griped one morning when David looked particularly nervous. “You killed all the Daleks, remember!”

“I know!” he snapped back. “But they weren’t my mother-in-law, were they?”

“Ooh! That’s a thought,” Donna mused. “Which one of you do I tell Mum is my husband.”

“Tell her the truth, and say both of us,” the Doctor insisted.

“Not on your nelly!” Donna protested. “She’d think we were living in some sort of a cult! She’d either cut me dead or try and rescue me from your clutches.”

David laughed. “Sounds about right! Well, the answer is obvious… you tell her I’m your husband.”

“And what about me?” The Doctor glared at him. “What does that make me? The au pair?”

“Nuh! You don’t do enough around here to claim that title, love!” Donna snickered. “I’ll think of something, Timeboy, don’t worry.”

“That _is_ what worries me,” he retorted, and got a playful slap on the bottom for his trouble.

~o~

“So there we were, Gramps, when this almighty big oyster-type thing lands on top of the building, and these robotic weasels scurried out!” Donna gleefully told Wilf, as she sipped her cup of tea and munched on some ginger biscuits.

“You didn’t tell him the best bit,” David moaned, “I was hanging from the parapet with this guigom bloke…”

“Oh, I’d completely forgotten about him!” Donna squealed, interrupting his story.

“Thought you would,” the Doctor laughed. “You were too distracted by the sight of the returning Lieutenant Klynn in the fancy uniform.”

“I was not!” she protested. “But he was a bit of all right!”

Both she and the Doctor laughed at the angry pout on David’s face, who immediately blushed.

“That’s alright, my boy.” Wilf patted David’s knee. “Now, are you going to tell me your real news?”

“Real news?” David questioned. “What would that be then?”

“I’m not too old and stupid to notice a wedding ring on my girl’s finger; so you might as well come clean and tell me when you married her,” Wilf encouraged.

“Ah… well…,” David spluttered and looked to Donna for help.

She squeezed David’s hand. “You’re right, Gramps, we did get married. It happened the first time on…”

“First time?!” Wilf exclaimed. “How many times have you got married then?”

“Ooh!” She looked at the Doctor for confirmation. “I’ve gone through the marriage ceremony at least 27 times now.”

“27!” Wilf repeated. “Has it happened on every planet you’ve been on?”

“No, but it feels like that!” the Doctor laughed. “On other planets they just assume it’s already happened.”

“And what do you do while this is happening, Doctor?” Wilf turned his attention onto him. “Do you get to do anything?”

“Sometimes I’m allowed to join in, you know, in my own way.” He winked at Donna; leaving Wilf to wonder what the heck that meant. 

Wilf glanced at the clock. “Sylvia will be in at any moment. Do you want me and the Doctor to pop up the hill out of the way while you tell your mum, Donna?”

“I… erm…,” she checked with both David and the Doctor. “That sounds like a good idea,” she finally replied uncertainly.

“Right oh.” Wilf gestured to the Doctor to move. “I have a nice little planet lined up that you might to view, Doctor.”

The Doctor shot Donna a bewildered look and allowed himself to be led away into the darkness outside. David waited for the back door to shut first before asking Donna, “Why did you do that? I’ll have to face her on my own now!”

“And don’t we know it!” Donna retorted. “Anyone would think you need protecting!”

He glared at her. “Of course I need protecting! This is your mother we’re talking about here! She doesn’t know I’ve been… thingying with you.”

“Thingying? How eloquent! I obviously made the right choice marrying you, didn’t I?” she grouched back at him.

“I think you did. I think it was a brilliant choice. In fact, I’d go so far as to say…” But he was interrupted by the front door slamming shut and Sylvia’s voice calling out to Wilf. David visibly paled, much to Donna’s amusement.

“Dad? Is Donna here? Is that her coat? Who is she with?” Sylvia walked into the kitchenette and halted when she caught sight of Donna and David. “Donna?”

Donna ran forward to hug her mother. “Hello Mum! Long-time no see.”

“Hello stranger! I wondered if you’d forgotten where we live,” Sylvia couldn’t resist saying. “Which one is this with you this time?”

“Mum!” Donna admonished her. “This is David; the one you said is a distant cousin.” She held out her hand and David eagerly took it, pulling Donna much closer to him.

“Oh yes.” Sylvia eyed him suspiciously, “There was something going on between you, if I remember right.” Her eyes narrowed angrily when Donna and David exchanged endearing looks that suggested more than she was happy to accept had happened.

Donna’s hand moved to caress David’s lapel, and that’s when Sylvia noticed the ring. Donna jerked forward to steady her mother as she wavered unsteadily on the spot. “Are you alright, Mum?” 

“No I’m bloody well not!” Sylvia snapped at her. “Why are you wearing a wedding ring?”

Donna glanced at it as though it could answer that question all on its own. “Ah! Well… you see, Mum… I’ve sort of got…”

“We’re married!” David beamed at Sylvia. “She’s my wife! Isn’t that fantastic?” He could not have grinned at Donna harder if he had tried.

Sylvia stood unblinking at him. “You’ve done what? Why did you go and do that?!”

Donna breathed a sigh of relief when the front door bell rang. “I’ll get it!” she trilled as she ran off.

“When?” Sylvia asked David, still stunned by the news. Noises from the hallway distracted her attention; the door opened and in stepped Nerys and Veena gabbling away at Donna.

“So I said to her, we ought to round Sylvia’s and find out, since we haven’t heard nothing for weeks!” Nerys explained to Donna before allowing her gaze to wander all over David, and giving a little sniff.

“Oh, that would be my fault, I’m afraid,” David butted in. “We’ve been on honeymoon, and I wouldn’t let her out of my sight.”

Donna squashed passed them all to stand next to David, and she took hold of David’s arm possessively. “David, you haven’t met my two oldest friends. This is Nerys… and this is Veena.”

They said their ‘hello’s, then the two women pushed forward to kiss both Donna and David; a bit too much, Donna thought. “Why didn’t you tell us you were getting married?” Veena asked Donna. “Frightened we’d try and tempt him away, were you?” Both women laughed.

“Don’t think you’d manage that!” David grinned broadly back at them. “I knew as soon as I saw Donna that she was the girl for me.”

Fortunately he didn’t see Nerys scoff at the word ‘girl’, or the sneer she gave Donna at his heartfelt declaration. But Sylvia did. “I think this calls for a celebration, don’t you? Fancy a drink anyone?” And she bustled about finding glasses and a bottle of sherry. “To my daughter and her new husband!” she toasted the pair of them, and Nerys and Veena joined her reluctantly. “We need more people than this!” insisted Sylvia. “Donna! Go fetch your grandfather and the Doctor!” she ordered Donna.

_Can you cope with these harpies on your own?_ she asked David.

_Sure!_ he readily replied. _I’ll be fine! Go get Gramps and we’ll celebrate properly!_

Letting go of him grudgingly, she made for the door and ran all the way up the hill. She saw the Doctor clearly, sitting by Wilf’s telescope, but not Gramps. He looked up expectantly as she appeared; worried that she seemed so breathless.

He stood and moved to clasp her hands. “What’s the matter? What’s happened?”

“Mum knows about the marriage; and Nerys and Veena have turned up! They were so bitchy, and David was so lovely with them! They’re going to eat him alive!” she anxiously told him.

He released one hand to cup her cheek. “Don’t worry! He’s a big boy now; he can handle himself.” He placed a tender kiss on her lips. “He’ll be alright, I promise.” He kissed her again, taking his time to enjoy her soft mouth.

Donna threaded her hands around his neck, allowing him to deepen the kiss; trying not to groan loudly as excitement began to buzz around them again.

“Donna?!” Wilf stood bewildered, holding onto his watering can and bottle of plant feed. “What’s going on?”

The Doctor and Donna broke apart. _Explanation or memory wipe?_ he asked her.

Donna gave Wilf an anguished look. _How about a memory block or filter of some sort?_

_That would work,_ the Doctor replied. _Shall I let you try it this time?_

“Gramps!” Donna exclaimed, as she ran towards him with her arms out wide for a hug. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

~o~

David grabbed Donna into a hug as they stood at Sylvia’s sink doing the washing up. According to the TARDIS rota it was their turn. “Good grief they’re hard work, aren’t they? I thought they were going to eat me alive at one point!” he moaned against her neck.

“Watch where you’re putting your wet hands, Timeboy! People can see where you’ve been,” she told him pointedly. “Why are you so grabby all of a sudden?”

He pouted at her. “Don’t play the innocent with me! I know what you got up to earlier,” he accused her. “I had a hard job pretending it wasn’t happening in front of your mother! Thank goodness she didn’t notice.”

“You didn’t?!” She shot a glance at his groin and giggled. “How did you cope?”

“I used the time honoured method of crossing your legs and a convenient cushion! What do you think I did?” He leered at her. “How about I get my own back, and have ourselves an uplifting moment all of our own?”

“You wouldn’t!” she gasped.

But he crushed her against the work top, and began to kiss his way down to her cleavage. “I most certainly would,” he confirmed quietly.

“You can’t do this here. What if Mum came in and found us?” She tried to push him away.

“We’re married, remember? She’ll be fine with it,” he insisted.

“And what about the Doctor?” she tried to counter; but he was caressing her bottom in a most delightful way and breathing heavily all over her front.

“I’m sure he’s coped with worse,” he argued. “Unless you fancy showing me your old bedroom?” He gave her an eye brow waggle.

“You’ll definitely get me into trouble if you do that!” She swatted his arm, hoping he’d release her.

“That can easily be arranged,” he added; but let her go anyway. “You spoil all my fun!” he sulked.

“Sometimes fun has to be spoilt,” she pointed out before leaning over to switch the kettle on. 

The Doctor crashed into the kitchenette, his face thunderous. “You!” he spat out at David. “What the hell are you playing at?!”

“What? What did I do?” David lamely tried to cover himself.

“You made Wilf think I have a fetish for Gillian McKeith; that’s what!” The Doctor’s red face looked fit to burst. 

“Could be worse…,” David tried to reason whilst surruptiously guiding Donna to stand in front of him.

“Don’t you include me in this, Sunshine!” Donna huffed at him. “The Doctor would be in his rights to thump you one as far as I’m concerned.”

“Not you too! Judas!” David complained, though he knew this battle was lost.

Donna handed the Doctor the tea towel. “He’s all yours; do as you deem fit!” And with an impish grin at the pair of them that stopped their dispute in its tracks she sashayed into the lounge. The two men watched her progress with keen interest.

“Tea?” David offered the Doctor.

The Doctor laughed in answer. “Might as well! Looks like we’ve lost that argument.” And they smiled together in their joint amusement.


	13. And Darker Days?

“Donna? How do you fancy a trip to Bath?” The Doctor lay in bed twirling a ginger curl around his finger, idly examining the light effects he could achieve.

“Hmm… that might be interesting. Do I assume this has an ulterior motive connected to Jane Austen?” she smiled at him, and snuggled closer.

“Might do,” he hesitantly admitted. “Would that be a problem?”

“No. Not at all.” She began to rub her nose against his cheek, and placed small butterfly kisses along his jaw. “It might be fun if you can rustle up a dress that can cope with my breasts.”

“Why, what’s wrong with your breasts?” He began to delicately trace their outline. “I think they are exceedingly fine examples of what women should aspire to.”

“Well, you would! But in real life they’re a hindrance when choosing clothing,” she explained. “Either they’re too big to get something to fit, or they spill out in embarrassing ways!”

“Do they?” He leant his mouth closer to her breasts. “Naughty breasts! Stop annoying Donna!” he whispered hoarsely at her chest.

“I don’t think they’re listening,” she giggled. “It would have helped if you’d done that when I was a teenager!”

“Are you sure?” He caressed a breast lovingly before kissing it. “I thought I’d be locked up as a paedophile if I did that.”

“That’s true. And I’m not sure I’d have let you anywhere near me,” she smirked at him.

“What was the point of this conversation again?” He dreamily eyed her. “Oh yes! Your gorgeous breasts; second only to your hair as your best physical feature.”

“Some men never get their eyes further than them; it’s like they have a hypnotic power,” Donna pondered.

“Then they are idiots!” the Doctor insisted. “Every inch of you is worth looking at… and loving… and kissing… and caressing… and f-…” He carried out each action before Donna grabbed hold of a burgeoning feature.

“How about a bit of mutual appreciation?” she leered at him as she stroked his tingling skin. “Or are you happy to merely look?”

“Ngh! A little demonstration wouldn’t go amiss; so…,” he panted above her, “Mrs Noble… are you ready for your close up?” He licked up her neck and ended by ravishing her mouth.

“Give us all you’ve got, Spaceman,” she replied breathily, drinking him in with each embrace as she felt her body zing for him. “And don’t you dare do your ‘trust me I’m a doctor’ line this time!”

“For you, my love, I’ll do anything you ask!” He fiddled with something from the drawer, and lifted her body so that he could ease gently into her. Their connection exploded into life, almost taking her breath away with its intensity. “Is this enough?”

“Don’t ever ask me that again! I may have to…” But her yelps covered up the rest of her words.

~o~

David stood in front of his mirror, fidgeting with his collar. “Do I really have to do this too? I thought I could escape from this escapade,” he moaned.

Donna brushed stray hairs from his jacket, “Stop moaning! Anyone else would be delighted to visit Georgian England and meet a literary icon; but not you! You have to grizzle and groan about it!”

“This collar is tight, and these trousers feel weird. You don’t understand!” He grimaced as he adjusted himself.

“Of course I don’t!” she told him sarkily. “What do I have to moan about… wearing tight corsetry that thinks I’m Kylie Minogue, bloomers that make me feel like a trussed up chicken, and a bodice that wouldn’t hold in fried eggs let alone my melons! Yeah, I have nothing to complain about!”

“Ooh! Your breasts do look as if they need a bit of assistance. Shall I walk behind you and let my hands act as a bra all day?” he leered at her. “I might enjoy doing that!”

She batted away his hands to stop their wandering ways. “I bet you would; but you’re not going to do it!” She stepped away from him. “I’m the Doctor’s date today, not yours.”

“Typical!” he huffed. “I find a decent angle to this gig, and you scupper my plans!”

She patted his cheek. “Never mind, Sweetheart; you can help later when I need to get out of all this.”

His eyes brightened considerably. “Put me down for that job later; and I promise to not rip your bodice too much.”

“You want to be a bodice ripper?” she laughed.

“It’s another fantasy; and I refuse to defend it!” He winked at her cheekily.

“Oh no! I wouldn’t deny you a fantasy like that just this once.” And she winked back at him in delight.

He held out his arm to her. “Come, Madame, your carriage awaits.”

“It had better do, or I’m kicking up a real stink!” she playfully threatened.

“That’s what I love about you; you’re a real lady!” he mocked.

“You’d better believe it, Sunshine! I’m a lady of some sort, but not of the night, before you try making that joke!” she grinned at him.

“You spoil all my fun!” he pouted. “But I love you anyway.” He placed a smacker on her cheek, making her giggle deliciously, and escorted her out of the TARDIS.

~o~

Donna tried to adjust her corset delicately and surruptiously. “This thing is digging me right in the vitals,” she whispered to the Doctor. “How long before she turns up? I hope David gets back with our spa water before she does.”

“Should be any moment now,” he reassured her. “I can’t wait to introduce you!” He lifted her hand and kissed her wrist. “It’s not so bad promenading here, is it?” He threw her a worried look.

She smiled back at him. “No! It’s fantastic to dress up like this; and to think I’ll be meeting _the_ Jane Austen at any moment! How marvellous is that?”

_Not as marvellous as being with you,_ he told her; and Donna melted under his ardent gaze.

_Right back at you, you gorgeous bloke!_ She poured her heart out into the look she gave him; causing him to grasp her hand tighter and kiss her pulse point with passion.

“Doctor? Is that you?” A middle-aged man hovered near them, accompanied by a young woman.

“Hullo Reverend Austen; Miss Austen.” He bowed to both of them. Miss Austen curtsied in answer with a small nod. “May I introduce my wife, Mrs Donna Noble?”

There were a couple of ‘how do you do’s in answer. Jane watched Donna with unashamed interest, before blushing profusely. “Doctor Noble, Mrs Noble, I am delighted to make your acquaintance,” Jane beamed at them.

“Would you care to join us, Miss Austen?” the Doctor offered. “I have much to tell you!”

The reverend dismissed himself to seek other company, so the Doctor escorted the ladies to a quieter area of the Pump Room. Donna was finding it increasingly hard to keep a tight rein on her curiosity, and longed to quiz Jane within an inch of her life. She felt the Doctor chuckle in her mind at her turmoil. _Zip it, Timeboy! You don’t want to regret this later, do you?_

_Oh no!_ he replied. _I want to enjoy everything!_ And he gave her a cheeky grin.

“Pray tell me, Mrs Noble, it must be a strain for you to be in Bath at this time of year,” Jane asked politely.

What the heck did that mean? Donna smiled sweetly. “Bath is extremely pleasant to visit at any time. My husband…” She couldn’t resist looking at the Doctor. “...makes every day an interesting one.”

Jane noted the looks exchanged between the two with great interest. “You were apart from the Doctor, were you not, for many months?” she posed.

Donna clasped the Doctor’s hand firmly. “Far too many! I almost died without him; but he turned up when I needed him most.”

The Doctor blushed delightfully, and kissed her fingers yet again. “I did nothing to help but I am greatly relieved to have you back with me. I bless the day you became my wife.”

_You romantic fool!_ she laughed at him. _You’re making me go all goose bumpy!_

He mentally gave her an eyebrow waggle. _Is that all I’m doing? ‘Cos I was hoping for more!_

She felt desire start to flood her senses. _I can tell that! But first we have to talk with **the** bloody Jane Austen!_

_She doesn’t know we feel this way, so try not to overdo it!_ He laughed at her enthusiasm.

Hoping that Jane didn’t feel like a gooseberry with them, Donna turned on her charm offensive. “Miss Austen, my husband tells me he made your acquaintance some time ago. Did he speak of me much?”

Jane almost sparkled at her. “The Doctor hardly spoke of anything else! He was most ardent in his admiration of you.”

_You’d better have been,_ she told him.

_I was!_ he assured her. _Would I lie to you? On second thoughts…don’t answer that!_

He heard her laughter twinkle in his mind. _So many comebacks…I don’t know where to begin!_

The rest of the afternoon with Jane just got better and better, as he stood holding onto Donna and mentally bantered in their usual fashion. Jane seemed most entertained by their antics, she satisfied her romantic curiosity, and giggled continuously once she was introduced to the Doctor’s brother. David was delightful, she thought, and she harboured the hope of meeting him again.

~o~

“Well if it isn’t the love interest of Jane Austen!” Donna teased David later, back in the TARDIS.

“Either you’ve got it or you haven’t! And I have it in bucket loads!” he boasted as he undid his cravat. He glowed with pride when Donna moved to help undo his buttons. “See! Even you can’t resist touching me!”

“What do you mean ‘even you’? You saucy monkey!” she admonished him. “Undo your own buttons if that’s how you’re going to be!”

“Now don’t be too hasty to bugger off!” He grabbed her wrist to halt her departure. “You promised I could undress you.”

“I did,” she agreed. “But it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind.”

“I may have to put my manly foot down and demand you let me rip your bodice as promised,” he pouted. “I’ve been looking forward to doing that all day!”

“Oh, go on then! Rip away!” She presented her body to him, and shut her eyes tight.

He trailed his finger over her cleavage. “Oh no! I’m taking my time with this fantasy fulfilment.” He crushed her body against his. “I want to remember this one for a long time.” He then hungrily attacked her neck and pawed at her bodice. “Shall I start with the bloomers? Ooh look! They have a peep hole!”

“Just take them off!” Donna testily ordered. “And these flipping underskirts!

“Oh no! This is my fantasy, and I refuse to be hustled along!” He lifted the upper dress from her body. “These underclothes look as though they could be a lot of fun. You feel so good through them!” He rubbed his hands gleefully over her form. “Why the heck did they stop making these things?”

“Perhaps because they are uncomfortable, a hindrance, and too much trouble to be dealt with?” she snarked at him.

“Good grief, you’re an impatient woman!” He frowned at her. “Can’t you just enjoy the moment for once?”

“Can’t you just get on with it?!” she snapped back.

“If that’s how you’re going to be about it, then we should forget all about this one.” He let go of her and stopped his ministrations. “Obviously I’m not enough for you!”

“Hmm… let me see…” She took hold of him, and gave him an unceremonious squeeze. “Not much to write home about admittedly.”

He bristled at her. “Do you want me or not? I can go elsewhere and be better appreciated!”

“Maybe, but I don’t think Jane Austen would play this particular game with you,” she teased him.

“You’re jealous!” he grinned delightedly. “You are actually jealous that someone else fancies me! Well I never thought I’d see the day…”

“No I’m not!” Donna protested.

“Oh yes you are!” the Doctor agreed from the bedroom doorway. “You’ve been trying to hide that one for hours now.” He stepped up close to her and whispered low in her ear, “You forget that I had hold of you at the time; and you were definitely jealous!”

“I was not!” she exploded, trying to ignore the effect his breath on her neck had had on her. And then he went and started to fondle her body too, making coherent thought run out of the window; if there’d been one.

“Liar!” He brought his lips nearer still and his fingers ghosted over her breasts. _Shall I stop?_

_No!_ She melted back against his body, unsurprised to feel his arousal pressing into her. She still held David in her hand, and she felt his renewed interest too. He groaned as desire sparked through all three of them.

“You’d better help me out, Donna, I need… please…,” David panted.

“Let him have you,” the Doctor huskily told her. “I’ll be right here for you,” he added as he lifted her body, letting her rest against him as she opened to David.

“I’ve still got these stupid bloomers on,” Donna pointed out.

“Don’t care!” David gasped. “They add to the fun!”

“Rip them!” the Doctor ordered; and there was a flurry of hands to force away the material with a delicious tearing sound.

She had to admit that the ripping did add to the fun! The Doctor continued to caress her breasts and kiss her neck as David overpowered her mouth and entered her through the remnants of her bloomers. It was the most erotic moment of her life so far. _You’re holding off!_ she admonished the Doctor. _Why?_

_Why do you think?_ he sounded strained. _I want you for myself!_

_How…?_ But she was too lost to a powerful orgasm for a moment.

He stood her down, turned her and lifted her again, cradling her in his arms. He gave her a dark lust-filled look as he almost ran with her, and placed her reverently onto his bed. She wrestled with the buttons on his trousers this time, and panted loudly when they became one. “Oh Donna, please be mine!” he begged as he kissed her sensually. “Be mine forever!”

_Donna won’t say that!_ David chided him, before being shocked when she echoed “Yours… forever!” followed a long, loud moan that gladdened their hearts.

_Told you!_ The Doctor mentally winked at David; and Donna swatted his arm for his cheek.

“Next time there won’t be any afters for you!” she threatened, but neither man was worried.


	14. Has It Gone Dark?

“Doctor,” Donna purred at him when she found him in the console room, “now that we’ve fulfilled one of your visiting needs, can we go to one of mine?”

He watched her try and ingratiate herself with him, wondering what her hidden agenda was. “Depends where it is exactly,” he merely answered without allowing his attention wander to where her hands were right at that moment.

“I was thinking… could we go and visit that beach you promised me? One with plenty of warm sun, fruity cocktails and gorgeous scenery?” She placed a wet kiss on his cheek.

He considered her thoughtfully. “What constitutes gorgeous scenery exactly? Are we talking geographic beauty or other men?”

“You are too suspicious at times!” she giggled close to his earlobe, and whispered low. “No one is as gorgeous as you. You do know that, right?”

“I might need reminding once in a while.” He grinned smugly as he placed a hand in her luxurious hair and stole a kiss from her freshly applied lips. “Do you want to come and remind me right now? I have a time slot available just for you.”

“What about the coordinates?” she asked breathily.

“What about them? They can wait five minutes.” He started to work his way towards more passionate kisses, building slowly with each pass over.

“Five minutes?” she snapped back. “Five useless minutes? Surely I’m worth more than that!” She gave him a look of distain. “I’m off to find David. Perhaps he can bear to give me at least ten minutes, if not plenty more!”

“Donna, love! I didn’t mean it like that! Why are you being so…” He cocked his head at her trying to figure out what the problem exactly was. “Ah! You’ve got the rats!”

“Don’t start blaming hormones, Sunshine! Because…” Her face fell. “I have, haven’t I?” She blushed, and ducked her head away. “I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about,” he tried to brightly reply. “I’ll just make sure we end up somewhere you can relax and have some quiet time.” He gave her a smirk. “Even if that involves dancing the hula in a grass skirt for you!”

“Would that be in _just_ a hula skirt? Exposing your long lean legs and your muscular chest?” she asked hopefully.

“I’ll make sure you get the chance to see them whatever happens if you like.” He tip-toed his fingers across her chest. “As long as I get some treats in return.”

She pulled his head towards her lips. “If you find me a beach, Spaceman, I’ll make sure you are treated very well!”

“Deal!” he muttered before capturing her mouth, and feasting on her succulent taste. “If I can bear to ever get out of the TARDIS.”

~o~

Donna stepped out onto a wide expanse of white sand lapped by vibrant blue water, all under a sunny sky. “Beautiful!” she sighed happily. She dipped her head back into the TARDIS. “Come look at this! You’ll need to put your trunks on!” she yelled in.

“Blimey, you can shout!” The Doctor appeared at the doors to peep out. “Trunks? Are you sure?” He looked down at his suit.

“Yes!” she giggled and gave him a gentle shove back inside. “Go put some on, and I’ll help apply any sunscreen you can rustle up.” She smiled warmly at him.

Within twenty minutes the three of them were seated on beach towels in swimwear, with sunglasses, rubbing on sunscreen and contemplating a picnic. Donna was seeing to the Doctor’s back and David was moisturising Donna.

It had been a good day. Donna sat later at her computer sifting through the photographs they had taken; the first ones had been her two men posing like catalogue models, pulling stern faces and doing that weird ‘gaze-out-at-sea’ look they often do. The next few had her and David, with him threatening to throw her in the water; whilst the next lot were of her and the Doctor, where he held her possessively. Then she’d worked out how to get the timer working correctly, and they’d fooled about, pretending they could hold the sun, each other, rocks in the distance; and laughed like loons. It was very clear they’d enjoyed themselves enormously. And finally there were the shots she’d never to able to show anyone else, where they’d become a little over-excited with their fooling about, and… She hastily put those ones in a separate file, just in case.

“Are there any ones on there worth framing and putting on the wall?” David sultry tones made her sit up and pay him some attention.

“All the ones with you in,” she purred back at him, watching his reaction with delight.

He wandered into her room properly and leant down to kiss her. “Which ones do you want to show me?” He sat next to her when she gestured for him to do so. He quickly stopped his attack on her exposed shoulder to view the photos properly, with constant exclamations of “Ooh! I like that one!” One particular photo caught his attention. He traced his finger over her image; the sun had formed a halo with her hair, and her expression was both joyous and wistful. “You are so beautiful,” he murmured, before turning and kissing her passionately. “Don’t ever change,” he begged her.

“Ever? But I’ll need fresh clothes eventually,” she joked, and crushed her body next to his. “Hmm… you smell good!”

“I’ll smell even better over on the bed,” he tempted her, “unless you were planning somewhere else.”

“Nope! The bed is good.” She whooped with delight when he lifted her in his arms and carried her the short distance. “I love it when you’re all manly!”

“Are you saying there are times when I’m not?” he pouted playfully. “Only I think you’ll find I’m all man!” He pushed his lower body against hers, leaving her in no doubt what his sexuality was.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and stole a kiss. “Is that all it does? Or does it come with attachments?”

“You saucy minx!” he exclaimed, rolling on top of her, and pressing himself firmly against her body. “I’m going to great lengths here to please you!”

“Mmm… you certainly are!” she groaned deliciously as she wriggled beneath him.

He tasted her mouth whilst easing off her swimsuit, moulding her body to his and caressing each piece of emerging naked flesh. “Beautiful!” he gasped, as he stripped away the nylon material. “I’ve wanted to do this all day!”

“I’d never have guessed!” she teased as she thought about his earlier antics on the beach. “The bra offer wasn’t very practical after all, was it?”

“No! But it was fun experimenting,” he leered at her. “Any time you want a human bra just let me know!”

“Is that the only thing you’re offering? Can I use you as something else?”

He helped her extract him from his swimshorts, “I think I can arrange that. Do you have…”

“Don’t use the ‘opening’ joke,” she advised as she giggled. “You have a lovely bum. Did you know that?” She caressed said bottom, and added a squeeze.

“Why don’t we make use of that squeeze?” he spoke low and huskily into her ear. He kissed her ardently, showing with his tongue what he’d like to do to her body.

She lifted herself to meet him, and undulated to encourage his movements. “Get on with it, Timeboy!” she begged. “I need you!”

“What else, Donna?” he asked as he brought himself closer to where she wanted him. “What do you want from me?”

“I want you to love me,” she told him simply and quietly. “I love you!” she cried as he entered her and their connection flared, forming a passionate union.

It was what he’d been holding himself back to hear from her. They mouthed each other’s bodies, moving to bring relief and satisfaction; building to a fervent crescendo. “Love you!” he yelled, as she yelped with him.

Then they collapsed against each, still trading kisses, caresses and love. She cradled his face, taking the chance to gaze lovingly at him. “You make my life so much better,” she told him.

“You are my life,” he responded; so she snogged him for all she was worth.

~o~

The Doctor didn’t look very pleased when they found him later. “You didn’t include me this time!” he griped.

They both hugged him. “Sorry, we got a bit carried away,” David consoled him. “I didn’t do it deliberately.”

“He didn’t,” Donna defended him. “But if you want, we could think of something else. What do you fancy?”

“I… I need…” His eyes beseeched them to understand.

An idea sprung in Donna’s mind. “Didn’t you say there was a sauna room once?”

“I did. Why? What are you thinking?” the Doctor asked before stroking his hand down Donna’s arm. “Ooh! I like how you think! That could be fun!”

“I’m going to…” David blushed as he indicated towards the TV room. “I’ll leave you two to it.”

“You not coming?” Donna looked disappointed. “You’ll have to overcome these body issues one day.”

David smirked at the Doctor. “Yeah! One day!”

The Doctor led Donna to the sauna; the TARDIS had conveniently placed it next to his bedroom. He stood and let her undress him. “Why did you put this suit back on if you were feeling randy?” she asked as she reached for his buttons.

“I don’t know; force of habit I suppose,” he admitted. “I’m not used to all this sexual freedom yet.”

She caressed him as she removed each piece of clothing. “I can see I’m going to have to work hard to release you this time. I thought after the beach you would be more ready for me!”

“I am! I mean, I was! But the temporal injectors needed calibrating, and… and my mind wandered. Sorry!” He gave her a pained expression. 

“No, I’m sorry because you missed out on us having some fun; and now you’re left hanging.” She removed the last of his clothes, and handed him a towel from a nearby rail. “Now what shall we do?”

“Well...” He lifted a hand and lightly caressed her cheek before placing a lock of hair behind her ear. “...you look a bit hot. I think we need to remedy that.” He trailed his fingers down her throat and began to undo her dressing gown, “Ooh look! Lucky me! You’re wearing the correct costume!”

“Seems I’m a good guesser when it comes to you, eh? I wondered why you hadn’t made an appearance earlier, so I came prepared. Plus… it’s flipping hot in here!” She blew a strand of hair out of her face.

“That is the idea,” he ogled her, “to make me all… steamy!” His fingers traced her breasts now.

“Does it only work with you then?” she playfully asked. “What wouldn’t I give to be able to smear you with chocolate right now?”

“Chocolate?” he squeaked. “There’s some chocolate in my room… if you’re interested?”

“Is there?” Donna was extremely interest. “Do you think we could…?”

“Do I?!” he gasped as he noticed a conveniently placed bowl nearby: the TARDIS had some chocolate ready; all warm, melted and runny.

Donna clapped her hands in glee at him. “Anywhere in particular that you’d like me to start?”

“Hmm… I’ll happily go with whatever you decide,” he leered at her, “as long as I can reciprocate!” She giggled delightedly when he popped the ‘p’.

She seductively swooped her finger into the chocolate, licking the tip of her finger briefly as she kept eye contact with him, before smearing some onto him.

He certainly didn’t giggle when she began to use her mouth on him; he might have groaned, several times, and ultimately yelled her name; but it was clear he was enjoying himself. The follow-up shower was quite good fun too!

~o~

David woke up slowly in front of the television. He didn’t remember falling asleep! What was worse, he didn’t remember having any dreams either! The Doctor must have knocked him out again. How petty! Just because he’d accidentally kept their usual connection shut for a while didn’t mean the Doctor could…

There was the fear now that anytime the Doctor wanted to romance Donna he would render David unconscious. He knew it was slightly ridiculous; for one thing he could never imagine Donna letting that little trick go passed unnoticed, but David worried about it nonetheless. What if the Doctor became a sexual megalomaniac? It wasn’t impossible, he reasoned, especially now the Doctor had overcome his reticence to woo Donna properly.

He eyed his reflection in the television screen. He was becoming paranoid, he realised. Was that normal? He had no other relationship to do a comparison with. There had only ever been one woman for him: Donna. What if she didn’t feel the same way about him anymore? What if the pair of them had finished using him as a stopgap and chucked him out the TARDIS doors at the first opportunity, or sold him off to some idiotic Emperor or other as a husband for their annoyingly available daughter?

He could feel a panic attack coming on. He was thinking too much again. That’s what Donna said anyway. His Donna, his beautiful Donna who at that moment was… Stop thinking! Stop expecting her to rush into the arms of his former self; stop imagining her lying in the Doctor’s arms, loving the Doctor as she ought to love him! Argh! This was agony. Why had this happened? Why did she also need the Doctor, why wasn’t he enough on his own?

Why did part of him hate the Doctor so much? It was unthinkable to hate yourself like that, surely?

He needed to find them both; and he needed to find them fast!

After a brief tour of several rooms in the TARDIS he found them curled up together in the Doctor’s bed, sound asleep. They looked beautiful together, he thought, like angelic children. He wondered if there was any room in their lives for him anymore.

Right on cue the pair stirred, and the Doctor opened his eyes. “What’s the matter, David?” he mumbled.

“Nothing,” David replied faintly.

“Come on,” Donna murmured, “in you get!” She lifted the covers to invite him in; so he crawled in next to her and cuddled into her back. The Doctor lazily placed a hand on his arm and squeezed it consolingly.

“You’ll always belong with us,” the Doctor muttered, gave a yawn, and returned to sleep.

David glowed with happiness, as he too joined their slumber.


	15. To The Past Darkly

Donna excitedly ripped open the TARDIS doors and found herself on… Earth, it looked decidedly like Earth! “Where are we, Timeboy?” she called over her shoulder. “I can smell sea air, but I’m not getting a tropical vibe here!” 

David joined her at the door. “I’d say this looks like…” He peered out briefly. “Cardiff! It looks just like Cardiff.”

“Nah! Can’t be!” insisted the Doctor. “I set the coordinates for… Damn! What are you playing at?” Donna and David assumed that last bit was directed at the TARDIS.

“She must have a game plan, Doctor,” Donna defended her. “I’m sure she means well.”

“Yeah, great! I suppose we have to refuel at Torchwood as well!” he huffed, clearly irritated. “I’ll never avoid Captain Jack Harkness now, will I?”

“Do you mean I get to meet Captain Jack Harkness again?” Donna became suddenly very interested. “ _The_ Captain Jack from the Children of Time?! I finally get to go and see him?”

“Jack Harkness?! Why the hell do you want to go and see him?” David wrenched himself away from her and eyed her suspiciously. “Are you sick of us already and want fresh blood?”

She giggled at his unease. “Why would I do that? You’re more than enough for me! I was interested to find out why he was so off with me after all the regeneration and Crucible business.” She pouted at him. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“No,” he answered, aiming for vagueness. “Not at all!” The Doctor grimaced knowingly behind him.

Stepping up beside Donna, the Doctor took hold of her hand. “Shall we?” He indicated towards the door, and the trio stepped outside.

~o~

The Plass outside Torchwood was gloriously sunny. Donna felt quite happy standing there alone, with the sea breeze on her face; but something was nagging her to head towards the Hub. ‘Why’s that old girl? Are you worried they won’t hurry back with fresh supplies?’ she asked the TARDIS. She got a coy shrug in return. ‘I see… up to your old tricks!’ Donna laughed; ‘if this goes well I will make sure you get that retune you’ve been promised’, and she felt the equivalent of a hug.

“Hello! You haven’t changed much,” a voice behind her caught her attention.

“And hello to you!” she answered cheekily as she gave him the once over. “Or should I call you Captain?”

“Jack will be fine. And what do I call you?” He gave her a cautious, puzzled look.

“Anything you like, as long as you do so before the other two get back.” She winked at him.

His expression lightened momentarily. “Other two? What exactly is going on here?”

“Oh! You know!” she murmured vaguely. “Out promenading with my menfolk… looking for a beach to enjoy… that sort of thing.”

She watched the cogs in his brain whirl. “Have you… do you… are you here with the Doctor and Martha by any chance?”

“Ah! I see you are testing my timeline, Jack! Naughty man!” She twinkled at him, getting more than a stir of interest in return. “I’m here with the Doctor; both Doctors,” she gleefully informed him.

“Both? Here?” He swung round to search for them. “Where? Where are they?”

She giggled at his plight. “I’m tempted to tell you they’re tied up somewhere; but we’re leaving that one for another day!”

“What?” He scrunched his handsome face up at her. “What is going on here? Where is the Doctor? Why are you talking this way? And why hasn’t your head exploded?”

“Questions, questions, my poor Jack! All will be explained in good time. Until then, how do you fancy playing a little game? One where the Doctor is the victim?” She gave him her best sultry look and took a step nearer to him.

“Oh no! This doesn’t sound right. You’re not really Donna, are you? This has alien possession written all over it. Well I’m not playing!” he yelled, pulling out his gun and pointing it at his imagined foe. “Show yourself in your true form! Donna Noble would not talk to me in this way!”

“You never did bother to get to know Donna, Captain,” came a stern voice behind him. “She certainly is like that!”

“My darling Spaceman!” Donna ran and threw herself into the Doctor’s arms.

Jack watched them kiss, in bewilderment, lowering his weapon slightly. “Doctor? Is there something you should be telling me?” Jack tried to get some answers as quickly as possible. “Since when did you kiss… hang on! This is an alien trick. Gwen!” He pressed his earpiece desperately. “Gwen, are you picking up any alien activity?”

“Apparently so,” Gwen replied. “According to the sensors and the monitor they’re being active right next to you! Isn’t that the Doctor? Who is it he’s kissing right there?”

“Did you get my…?” Donna asked the Doctor in-between kisses.

He broke momentarily from her. “Yes! But we can carry on as normal if you want?”

“Er… hello! One very confused Captain Jack Harkness standing here!” Jack tried to interrupt them.

A lone figuring came running towards them, hardly breaking into a sweat as he ran. “You’re starting without me again?” he griped at the Doctor and Donna. “I thought we agreed!” He turned briefly to Jack. “Oh, hi Jack! Didn’t see you there for a second! Enjoying the view?”

Jack spluttered as he gaped at the newcomer. “You’re… him! How did you get here?”

David thumbed towards where the TARDIS stood. “I came the usual way; thought you knew that!” He threw Jack a cheeky grin, and then tapped the Doctor on the shoulder. “Need for you to pay attention now!” He swung the couple apart and took possessive hold of Donna’s hand.

Jack watched all of this with sheer amazement. The Doctor walked up to him and closed his open mouth by lifting up his chin. “You’ll catch flies like that, Jack!”

Anger sparked through Jack; something was going on here, and he obviously wasn’t a part of it! “Are you going to tell me what’s going on and why you are here or not?” he barked at them all.

“Still feisty, I see,” David commented.

“Yeah, he does have that tendency,” the Doctor replied to him. “But it is understandable.”

“Then put him out of his misery,” Donna told the Doctor, “he deserves to know a little of all this.”

“True!” The Doctor contemplated the seething Captain. “We all have questions that need answering, it would seem.”

“Well, if we’re not going in there’s plenty of stuff I fancy doing,” David slightly pouted before giving Donna a leering glance.

She swatted his arm. “Later, tiger!” She turned her attention onto Jack. “So where shall we go? Your place or ours?”

“Well…I…,” Jack stuttered, unable to work out why they were all behaving so oddly. And how had the second Doctor arrived there? Wasn’t he with…? 

“I quite fancy seeing this Hub place of yours. Do you want to lead the way?” The Doctor started to stride towards the fountain, so Jack hastily ran forwards.

~o~

“Blimey! They’ve got aliens down here!” David exclaimed as they were shown passed Janet’s cage. “You don’t see one of those every day!”

“Shush! You’ll hurt her feelings, Timeboy!” Donna admonished him.

“Do you want to punish me?” he asked her in a low whisper, bringing his body very close to hers. “This is just the sort of place to be chained up.”

She thumped his arm as surruptiously as possible. “Is that another fantasy of yours? You’ll get me into trouble trying to make me laugh down here!”

“Now you know how much I want to get you into trouble, so don’t tempt me!” He grinned at her, moving his face even closer to hers. “How do you fancy a little practise while we’re down here? Nobody is watching.” He ran his hand over her bottom and captured her mouth.

_Oi! Time and place!_ the Doctor told them off.

Donna playfully caressed David’s groin in reply, making him zing at her. 

_I said stop it you two!_ the Doctor complained. _I’m dealing with Jack here, and I don’t want him thinking I’m suddenly interested in him._

David and Donna threw each other a cheeky look, and lunged at each other, exchanging kiss after fervent kiss. David pushed Donna up against a Plexiglas wall and lifted her slightly, rubbing himself suggestively into her body. _I SAID STOP!!!_ boomed through their heads, causing them both to wince as Janet cried out in her cell. Seconds later the Doctor appeared right beside them, his faced clouded with anger. “Back to the TARDIS… NOW!” he yelled at them both.

They stood in shock, all desire wiped from their minds. But they obeyed as the Doctor marched them out of the cells, up through the Hub, and back to the TARDIS on the Plass. Gwen and Jack watched their progress in wonder. “What were they doing to make the Doctor so angry?” Jack asked the bewildered Gwen.

“I don’t know! They were down in the cells with you one minute and being ushered out the next!” She fiddled with the settings on the monitor. “Let’s see what footage we’ve got of them.”

They watched Donna and David grab each other into a passionate embrace. “Wow! I must find out what perfume she wears!” remarked Gwen. “Did you even have time to give the Doctor his gift?”

Jack leant over her shoulder to watch the show. “Yes, just about. Can’t see what upset him so much. This was starting to look good when he barged in and spoilt it.”

“Wasn’t she snogging the Doctor when they first arrived?” Gwen asked, remembering back to her earlier surveillance.

“Oh yes!” Jack rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “It was that way round, wasn’t it? It’s so easy to muddle them up.”

“Do you think that’s what she did?” Gwen eyed him quizzically.

“Best excuse I’ve ever heard; but what’s the other Doctor’s excuse?” Jack chuckled.

“I don’t know. I really wish we had a camera on board the TARDIS to find out.” Gwen joined in with his laughter.

“You’re not the only one!” Jack readily agreed. “We might find out why they bothered coming here if we did that!” He turned to make his way up the steps to his office, and halted to ask her, “Make me a copy of that incident, would you Gwen? I might need to examine it later.”

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?” she smirked in answer, and set about saving him a copy.

~o~

The TARDIS hummed happily, knowing the little package was on board. She could feel safe now. She could feel complete. 


	16. Breath In The Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** This was written with added bits for [beachy_geek](beachy_geek.livejournal.com) , because I promised.

They entered the TARDIS quietly, not making contact with each other, but keeping an eye on each other. It was Donna who broke the silence first, unable to bear the break in the connection with her men. “Well? Say it!” she snapped at the Doctor. She stood with arms crossed in full defensive mode.

“Do I have to after that exhibition?!” he barked back at her. “After I almost… 

Her expression instantly changed to deep interest and concern. “What did you almost do?”

“Should we have hosed Jack down?” David smirked at her. “I wonder what little anecdote we kick started. We might be able to dine out on it for weeks!”

Donna immediately dissolved into laughter, and David joined in with her when he saw the Doctor’s determined effort to not smile. Donna walked over and draped her arms around the Doctor’s neck. “Tell us, Spaceman; what awkward situation did you get yourself in this time?” 

The Doctor returned her embrace and grinned down at her. “You are such a minx! All you care about is my embarrassment for your amusement.”

“Of course!” She impishly smiled at him. “Now, are you going to tell us or do I have to tickle you?” 

“Ooh! Tickle fight!” David gleefully bounced near them.

“Don’t you start!” the Doctor playfully glared at him. “I have enough to put up with when Madame here starts on me.” 

“But I haven’t even started anything with you yet,” she purred at him, deliberately stroking her hand down his throat and playing with his top button. “Did something arise when you were with Jack? Did you have to hide behind your… wit?”

The Doctor gave a little cough as she began to press her cleavage against his chest, giving him a most delightful view from his perspective. “S-something like that,” he stammered out. “We got as far as the storeroom door and… I had to find a box of Klitchlin art very interesting.” 

“Klitchlin art?” David queried. “Why would they have a box of that? It’s not exactly pretty, is it?”

“No,” the Doctor agreed, “but it had come through the Rift, and Jack seemed to think it was explosive!”

“No! Really?” David laughed. “I almost wish we’d got as far as there.”

“Talking of which...” The Doctor took a firm hold of Donna’s body. “Why did you deliberately do that to me?” 

“You did say you wanted to be included whenever we…” Donna waved a hand about with a vague gesture towards David. He in turn brought himself up against her and took hold of her hand. She gave the Doctor a small smirk. “I was going to totally blame him, but he gets his naughtiness from me!”

“Hey! I have my own personality, thank you very much!” David bristled behind her. “Just because I look like certain people round here!”

“Are you saying that’s bad?” the Doctor found it irresistible to ask him. “I think you look pretty good!” 

“You are so modest, did you know that?” Donna teased. She leant back against David. “You, however, are absolutely gorgeous!”

“Oi! You were seducing me, not him! Why does he get to be gorgeous?” The Doctor gave her an angry pout.

David placed his hands on Donna’s hips and slightly swayed her. “Because I am and you’re not, possibly?” He gave the Doctor a sly grin.

“Can you two cut back on the rivalry here? I’m getting an overload of possessive jealousy here!” Donna griped. “I’m losing all that lovely sexiness you had going for a second. If you want to continue your spat I’m going to the kitchen to make myself a sandwich because… Ooh!” A wave of arousal hit her as the Doctor moved against her body. “That’s better! I might choose a different destination now.” David held her body in place as another wave hit her from both directions, almost making her knees buckle. “Where’s Captain Jack when you need him?” she giggled.

“Jack?!” the Doctor couldn’t stop the jealous rage that swept through him for a nanosecond. “We’re so much better than him,” he ground out through clenched teeth. He looked at Donna’s disbelieving face; oh, he knew she was trying to push his buttons by doing so but he felt the urge to prove her wrong nevertheless. He grabbed her head and crushed his lips onto hers; possessing her mouth with open kisses and grinding himself against her, letting her feel how much he had to offer. Their connection spun into wild sparks, causing desire to fire through all three of them.

“Bloody hell!” groaned David. He leant down to place kisses along the exposed skin of Donna’s neck, and he fondled the parts of her body he could reach, pressing his arousal insistently into her lower back.

Donna tried to reach both men, with each hand rubbing them through their trousers. “I’m impressed!” she murmured teasingly, “but this could be even better.” 

The Doctor broke from their kiss. “Where do you want us?” he asked huskily.

She licked her lips suggestively. “Somewhere and everywhere.”

His eyebrows shot into his hairline. “Really?”

“We need to get to a more comfortable place like a bed!” David gasped out. “I refuse to do anything on this grating.”

Donna gave him a wee squeeze in response. “Good thinking, Batman!”

David took hold of her waist and began to drag her away. “Come on then! Let’s go find somewhere! You promised me a staunching good time!”

“When and where did I do that?” Donna giggled as they headed for the corridor.

“Up against the Plexiglas, if my memory is correct,” he leered at her.

“Oh yes! I did!” she agreed, letting him quicken their pace.

The Doctor stood empty handed and agog for a few seconds, watching their antics, before realising he might be missing out on something again. “Wait for me!” he called out, and headed in the same direction.

~o~

“Whoever thought of this room deserves a medal!” Donna observed. The lighting was low and seductive, the atmosphere warm enough to go naked and sultry enough to make its inhabitants to focus completely on each other. ‘You’ve outdone yourself, love!’ Donna told the TARDIS as she considered the furnishings. Every surface was soft, luxurious and inviting to the touch. The TARDIS told her she was welcome in reply!

David shrugged off his Converses and dove onto the bed. “Whee! This is bouncy! Come and feel! You’ll like this.” He patted the mattress invitingly.

Donna crawled onto the bed next to him. “Trust you to act like a big kid!”

He grabbed hold of her. “Come here and help me be all adult-like then! I need showing and careful handling…. Yeah, just like that!” He encouraged her fondling by reaching out to reciprocate. “You know what would be even better than this…?” he smirked at her.

“Having a third to help things along?” offered the Doctor, as he too climbed onto the huge bed.

“Oh yes!” Donna reached out a hand to him, running it over his torso. “Three is a magic number after all.”

“Isn’t it just?” The Doctor dipped to kiss her passionately.

“You’re not expecting to do that to me, are you?” David hesitantly asked.

“Don’t you want me to kiss you?” Donna gasped out.

“Of course I do, you prawn! I meant the Doctor… and me…” David blushed a deep shade of red.

The Doctor placed a consoling hand on him. “No, never! I don’t swing that way.”

“Thank goodness for that!” David did a mock brow wipe. “So… are we taking turns or…?”

“It’s up to Donna.” The Doctor turned his gaze back onto her. “What would you prefer, my love?”

She flexed her fingers. “I’ll try and improvise, if that’s okay with you both.”

“You do realise that you may be utterly exhausted and totally shagged out by the end of this?” David gave her a cheeky grin.

“Yes! But I’ll risk it, Mr Smug; now come here and let me snog you too!” she ordered.

David did as he was told, kissing her greedily and feeling his body ready itself for her. The Doctor was easing back her blouse, kissing her flesh as it was exposed; and their triple connection began to zing into place. Donna didn’t care which pair of hands was caressing her or where, the overall effect was too good. She groaned loudly as they stripped away every piece of her clothing and mouthed every piece of skin. For her part she tried her best to undo buttons, remove belts and pull down zips, but there’s only so much one person can do. “Strip!” she ordered them, and they briefly left her as they both disrobed. They both laid by her side, David to her left and the Doctor to her right; as they resumed their caresses. 

“Can I taste you?” the Doctor asked softly.

Somehow she managed to answer feebly “Go for it!” as David took her mouth. She grasped David, stroking him tenderly, as she felt the Doctor kiss his way down her body, opening her to his ministrations. Her gasps and yelps were swallowed by David, who groaned into her mouth in return. And then the Doctor was inside her, almost blowing her mind with the raw power and beauty of it. All three became one in a fiery ball of desire and understanding; it was much more intense than their usual combination; skin to skin made it all so fresh and fantastic!

Both David and Donna yelped together. “Again?” he asked her. She knew he wanted to experience this encounter inside her body too, so she nodded her agreement and reached down to caress both men back to life.

~o~

Donna stretched lazily in bed and found her hands hitting something solid. A solid wall of flesh she realised with a grin. Waking up next to two men was becoming a pleasant habit, one that she was more than prepared to repeat.

“Morning!” The Doctor smiled at her. He lifted a hand to lift some stray hair out of her face. “Did you sleep well?”

“Very, thanks!” She stretched again, feeling her leg rub up against his. “And I thought David managed to sleep close to me! But you take the biscuit!”

“I did not!” he protested in jest. “I only want to take you.”

“Fine words never won fair maiden,” she smirked. “Yeah! What a load of bull!!” She reached up to pull his lips down onto hers.

He returned her kiss hungrily and sensually. She felt her body start to flame, as he rolled them until he was on top of her.

“What’s going on?” David groaned beside her. “What am I missing?”

“Your own morning glory by the looks of it.” Donna patted his stomach. She felt his desire and jealousy at seeing the Doctor with her; so she wiped her fingers over his eyelids to close them. _It’s just you and I, my love. Just us._ She felt his gratitude in return; especially when she moved her hand lower to gently hold him.

Noticing her distraction the Doctor nipped at her breast before loving kissing her body. “You are so beautiful,” he gasped to her delight. He recaptured her mouth and manoeuvred himself between her thighs. “Are you ready, my love?” he whispered.

“Doctor, you don’t have to ask everytime, you know.” Donna fervently kissed him. “Can you not feel my emotions?”

“Yes, but I… I need to ask,” he admitted.

She felt her heart melt at his cautiousness even now after all this time. She mouthed ‘I love you’ at him and drew him to her.

It was at that point that she suddenly went limp in his arms. “Donna?!” he cried, feeling absolutely nothing coming from her.

“Donna!” David shoved him off her and cradled her head desperately. “Come back to me, Donna!” He too felt nothing in her mind. “No, don’t do this! It’s me, David. I’m here for you, my love,” he wailed. 

She was there; a small spark of her was still there. He wanted to sob with relief.

Donna gasped, and her eyes fluttered open. “What happened?” she managed to ask, looking at the two worried faces in front of her.

“You blacked out for a second,” the Doctor told her. “It was my fault… I’m sorry!”

She feebly lifted a hand to caress his face. “No it’s not.”

“Donna?” David brought her attention back to him. “What happened to you? Where did you go?”

“I don’t know. It was cold, and then I… I felt you, David. You brought me home.” She smiled weakly at him, and he pulled her into his embrace, hugging her dearly.

“I’ll never let you leave me,” he whispered to her.

They remained like that for a while; David hugging Donna, and the Doctor desperately clasping her hand. Until breakfast beckoned them, of course, and the need for a cup of tea.


	17. Afraid In The Dark

Donna very quickly became sick of them treating her like she was made of glass. It was boring for a start. She sat, swinging her legs over the edge of a low wall, waiting like the good little wife they seemed to think she was, as they ran about organising the Hilcronians in their rebellion.

It wasn’t too bad sitting there. A youngling called Priodos was keeping her company with tales of childhood heroic figures, spirits of the forest and general myths. He was very entertaining. Priodos also seemed to have a thing about her hair though; that bit was disconcerting. She was used to the Doctor or David wanting to brush her hair, but this youngling was becoming a might too touchy feely with her.

Just as she was considering rearranging Priodos’ fingers a Hilcronian messenger raced up to her. “Lady Donna! Lady Donna!” he cried as he neared her. “I have news of your husband!”

~o~

“Where is he? Take me to him!” she ordered the nearest Hilcronian in the encampment.

“But Lady Donna, we have been told to keep you away,” he replied.

“Look here, Sunshine, if you don’t take me to him this instant I shall pummel you to a pulp!” Donna threatened him with clenched fists.

Not quite understanding her words but hearing the threat to his life nevertheless, the Hilcronian led her through the tents to the medical one. As he drew back the tent flap Donna stormed in.

“Where is he? What have you done with him?” she demanded from the first medical person she saw. 

“Donna? Is that you?” came from the far corner of the enclosure. She raced to the small camp bed and looked down at her husband. 

“What have you gone and done now?” she asked him softly. She leant down to brush the hair from his face, reassuring herself that it was him and that he was fine. Unable to resist the temptation, she kissed his face with gentle kisses.

“Are those mummy magic kisses?” David teased her. His grin broke into pain. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I was trying to do the right thing.”

“I know,” she reassured him. “So what’s the damage? Will you be able to play the piano again?”

He gave a faint smile. “I lost some blood. Do you want to see the wound?” He indicated towards his side, but quickly changed his mind. “It’s alright, don’t cry, I’m not dead yet; it’ll take more than a mortar bomb to get me!”

“Fat lot of good I am, sobbing all over you!” she complained, wiping away her tears.

“You’ve done me the power of good just by being here,” he told her. “Now come and sit down and tell me your news.” He grasped her hand, and felt through their connection how worried she really was. “It’s okay; I’ll be okay. Just tell me about somewhere else, anywhere, I don’t care. I need to get those scenes out of my head.”

She kissed him again, and placed her head as close to his as she could. “I can see you need me to bore you to sleep; so here goes…” She told him the tales Priodos had related to her until she knew he was asleep; and she cried silently with relief.

The Doctor joined them some time later. He looked exhausted and was covered in some sort of soot, but he was uninjured. He hugged Donna tightly. “What are you doing in here? You were supposed to stay where it’s safe!”

“I was! And then they brought me the news about David and I had to come. I’m sorry!” She began to tremble.

“It’s okay,” he softly told her as he stroked her hair. “It’s over now.”

~o~

She spent the next few days carefully attending to David. “But I want to get up!” he complained after the third day. “It’s lovely having you both fussing over me, but enough is enough!”

Donna soothed her hand over his thigh. “So you want to get up, eh?”

“What are you offering? Are you…” He considered her from his prone position. “…do you fancy a ride on my funmobile?” 

“Your what?!” She shrieked with laughter. “Are you up to the job?” she purred at him, rubbing her hand over his torso underneath the covers. 

“Climb aboard then.” He tugged on her hand, pulling her almost on top of him. “I need some sexual healing.” 

“You need something!” she scoffed. But she climbed properly on top of him. “Now what?” She grinned down at him. 

“Ah! That part of the entertainment is up to you. I merely supply the transport.” He gave her a cheeky grin.

“So I can get off at the next stop?” she teased, and pretended to get off him. 

“Don’t go!” He grabbed her arm to restrain her. He pulled her until her face was close to his. “I need at least a goodbye kiss; in fact I need a lot more than that!”

“Do you?” She placed a tender kiss on his lips. “This has more than a bit of déjà vu about it.” 

He ran his hands down her body and swayed her hips oh so gently. “Why I do believe you’re right. That was pretty good if I remember correctly. I am so up for this!”

“Here goes again...” She kissed him more deeply this time, and encouraged him to open up their connection with the Doctor.

_What are you doing on him? He might not be ready yet!_ the Doctor asked.

“Oh I am so ready!” David assured them both.

“Do you ever shut up?” she chided him.

“Oi! Injured man here! Needing some loving… from my girl…” He stole kiss after kiss from her.

“Girl!” she scoffed.

“Okay, woman. Are you happy now? You are all woman!” He ravished her neck, trying to reach his goal that beckoned beneath her blouse. “Take it off!” he ordered. He pulled her skirt over her head effortlessly and tossed it aside, and almost ripped the buttons of her blouse as he tried to disrobe her.

“Oi! What’s the hurry?” she groaned. “That was new!”

“Don’t care!” he sighed from his position buried next to her skin. “I’ll buy you another one… just let me… Ha!” he yelled in triumph as he got her bra undone. “Come to daddy,” he cooed at her breasts.

“You are weird!” she laughed, but he was too busy to answer.

_Don’t forget to…_ the Doctor suggested.

“I know!” David grumped back at him. “I have done this before!” He looked up at Donna suddenly. “Donna, my love, can I… can I cut them off again?”

“What? I get to lose another pair?” she asked in surprise. He nodded so she huffed, “Yeah, go on. I dunno…”

She leant across and grabbed a pair of scissors, and brought them to the side seam of his underpants. “I now declare this funmobile open!” With that she snipped off his underwear, and he laughed loudly.

“My turn!” He grasped the scissors and efficiently cut open her panties. “Now the opening ceremony’s been done, let’s have some fun!” He brought a hand down to stroke her gently.

As she felt their connection grow she was suddenly aware of something else that she had been previously unaware of before then. “You died?!” she shrieked at him, and whacked his arm for good measure. “You never told me the Doctor had to give you mouth-to-mouth, you idiot! Why didn’t you tell me?”

David reached up and wiped away her tears, cooing softly at her. “I didn’t want to worry you,” he placated her with soft kisses. “They lacked resuscitation equipment, and… well… to be honest, I’m a bit embarrassed.”

“You…!” she choked on the next part of her sentence, and sobbed. He held her tenderly as she wept.

“I’m here now. That’s all that matters,” he whispered.

_I’m sorry. I thought I’d hidden that,_ the Doctor told David.

_I thought I had too,_ David told him in reply. _Perhaps we should have been more honest?_

_Perhaps,_ the Doctor agreed.

“When you two schoolboys have finished playing silly buggers, you might remember there’s a third person here!” Donna griped. Her reply was an overwhelming sense of love and protection from her two men. As she grinned at the comfort she gained another emotion was directed at her. “You saucy boy!” she smirked at David.

“That one wasn’t me,” he admitted, and then grinned impishly as he added his own version.

Donna panted from the onslaught. “You fight dirty, the pair of you!” She added a growl as she bent to resume kissing him.

He pressed her hips down onto him, and they groaned loudly. “You are bloody marvellous!” he yelled as he encouraged her movement to sink down onto him.

_Oh my love!_ the Doctor whispered in her mind. _I cannot bear this!_

“Come to me!” Donna ordered him. “I need you!” She knew he would obey, so she wasn’t surprised when she felt him support her body. His lips placed hungry kisses on her back as he helped to hold her in place. She adored having two sets of hands on her; especially when both men were telling her such wonderful things in their minds.

They all cried out together, enjoying the magnificent sensations coursing through their bodies. “You’re a little bit yucky, I’m afraid,” the Doctor sheepishly told her as she leant back on him.

“We’ll need a shower then, won’t we?” She winked at him.

“Shower?!” David gasped. “That’s not fair! I’m missing out on a joint shower!”

“You’ll get your chance, Sunshine!” Donna threw back at him as the Doctor helped her get down. “Hurry up and get better then.” She allowed the Doctor to swish her out of the med bay and gave David one last cheeky glance before she left.

“But Donna!” David wailed as they disappeared through the door way. He really hated being injured. He reached out and dragged over a box of tissues. ‘Might as well enjoy the rest of the show,’ he reasoned.

~o~

The TARDIS felt that things were shifting slightly, and tentatively sent out some psychic feelers. Feeling the joy of her occupants, she left a special little package in the bathroom.

~o~

“So… what was it like kissing David?” Donna teased the Doctor as he soaped up her back.

“Don’t you start!” he sighed. “I had the Hilcronians giving me some very weird looks while I did. And it wasn’t kissing, Ms Funnycuts! I was helping him breathe.”

“If you say so; I believe you,” she told in him in a tone that implied anything but. “Nothing dodgy about kissing someone who looks exactly like yourself at all! Nuh uh!”

He wrapped his arms around her and bodily picked her up. “What do I have to do to you?”

“You don’t have to do anything at all, but I get the impression there’s something you’d like to do,” she smirked at him.

He pinned her against the wall and sensually invaded her mouth, pouring all his desire into the kiss. “It was nothing like that,” he panted.

“Wasn’t it?” she smiled mischievously. “Tell me again.” She pulled his head back to hers and kissed him in return whilst the steamy hot water cascaded down over them.


	18. Open The Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Sorry, but I got distracted from the overall plot. I’ll try and remedy that in the next part.

It took time, but gradually David was restored to normal health. All he could think of was rebuilding his relationship with Donna. His life always came back to Donna, and he really wished it didn’t. Being with Donna still meant living with jealousy, coping with feeling second best, worrying that he wasn’t man enough for her, knowing she loved another. Living this life on board the TARDIS was both agony and ecstasy; and incredibly fulfilling. If only he could get rid of this inadequacy, and the ultimate irony was that he knew the Doctor felt exactly the same way about him! That actually made things much easier, as nobody was winning the game here; it was a stalemate until the inevitable happened. He knew and understood that one too. The whole thing would end when one of them died, and he wished with all his being that he would die first. To be without Donna would intolerable; there was no way he could even contemplate carrying on living without her.

That’s how last night’s nightmare had left him, feeling bereft at the death of dream Donna. She had soothed him so tenderly, had loved him so gently, that he had asked the question that lay closest to his heart. “Donna, do you love him more than me?” he had heard himself ask. It was the one question they had been avoiding, everything else had been discussed.

Donna had kissed his eyes as though she were worshipping at his temple. “No,” she had softly replied. She had given no other information, because it wasn’t needed. Instead she had helped him feel her love for him through their connection; let him see himself as she saw him, as her saviour, her consolation, and her own personal lollipop. That was the bit he liked the most! He groaned loudly as she began to lick all the parts of his body she could easily reach.

Feeling his excitement through her tongue was quite a turn on; one that she never thought would be possible. Thank goodness for touch telepathy! It made everything amazing. As she made her way down his chest she could feel his anticipation, the way his body strained towards her and his nerve endings tingling with every lick and suck. He was panting heavily already, so she asked his body what sort of finish would it like. In reply, he grabbed the sides of her head and guided her lips onto his before lifting them both so that he could enter her.

“Body and soul,” he answered her unspoken question between passionate kisses, “both yours!” He yelped loudly with her, shouting out his love, giving everything he had to give her.

She regarded him resting above her, his hair flattened and his skin glistening with sweat, and caressed his face. “How do you do that to me everytime? I start off just cuddling you and then we end up…,” she smirked at him.

“Must be my natural animal magnetism,” he reasoned. “It means you can’t keep your hands off me.”

“It’s not my hands that are involved, Earthboy, and well you know it!” she giggled.

“As long as it involves your heart I don’t mind,” he told her with sincerity.

“Where did you get to be so poetic?” She looked at him in wonder. “You certainly didn’t get that from me.”

“Must be that little bit of humanity,” he pondered, and bent down to capture her lips again. “Once more for the kiddies?” he asked her hopefully.

She gave him a playful slap on the bottom. “Yes, I can see where you’re all heart! You’d better make it a good’un.”

_Don’t you two ever stop?!_ asked the Doctor. _I’ve already had to change my clothes!_

“What are you wearing clothes for?” David asked in return. “You must have been aware that something was going to happen.”

_I was busy!_ the Doctor griped, _and you were practically… well… sobbing at one point, so I thought you wouldn’t jump Donna._

“That’s not a very nice way to put it!” complained Donna. “You come here right now and apologise!”

_But Donna!_ he whinged. _I have to finish adjusting the coupling on these aldacian transformers._

“And we have to finish coupling here, in case you haven’t noticed.” David could feel things were starting to wilt.

Donna shot David a mischievous look. “We could exclude him again. That would serve him right, especially if he wants to forfeit any future coupling emergencies.”

He grinned broadly back at her. “I think I could cope with being the only one who ever gets to caress your soft silky skin, or taste the way your mouth…”

_Alright you two! I’m coming right away! Just don’t blame me if the TARDIS suddenly feels the need to throw you to the floor._

“That’ll make a change from other people doing that to me,” Donna drily remarked, and David joined in with her laughter.

~o~

“So where is she?” the Doctor demanded as he entered their bedroom.

“Bathroom.” David pointed in its direction in case the Doctor had forgotten where to locate it.

The Doctor strode across the room and opened the door, fully expecting to berate Donna for pulling him away from his task. He gasped as he saw Donna standing naked by the sink as though waiting for him; a serene smile on her face. The image broke his anger, and he lunged forward to embrace her, grabbing handfuls of her as he felt his arousal soar.

“Am I right in thinking…?” she whispered.

“Yes,” he whispered back. “I am so ready for this!” Together they wrestled with his buttons and zip, divesting him of his clothing.

“Surely you’re not expecting me to do this against the sink?” she huffed out between his fervent kisses.

“You smell so good. I need you now!” he demanded. But he heard her pleas, so he lifted her and carried her back to the bed.

“Mind!” David yelped as they almost landed on top of him. He shuffled sideways to allow them some room. “Does my face really look like that when I’m…?” he began to ask.

“Shush!” Donna reprimanded him. “You’ve had your turn. Now let the…” But the rest of her words were lost in an ecstatic groan.

David grabbed her flailing hand and joined in with their connection in the most delicious way possible. “Oh. My. God!” he shrieked. “That’s amazing!”

“Now you know why I…,” Donna panted heavily, trying to catch her breath.

“Don’t you two ever shut up?” the Doctor growled. “I’m trying to concentrate here.”

“By all means concentrate away,” Donna encouraged him, as David giggled at her reply.

Their giggles very quickly turned into loud groans, moans and yelps as the Doctor encouraged them along the way. A very happy threesome snuggled down to sleep minutes later as the TARDIS watched over them.

~o~

Mount Quenson was an unusual place. For a start there weren’t many mountains to speak of, and it was more of a hillock compared to other places. The scenery was quite pretty, with lots of lush grassland and exotic flora and fauna. The walk from the TARDIS to the village had been very nice; the ride to the town had been very bumpy and the drag to the city had been hellish.

As usual they had committed a crime that deserved plenty of rough handling and several threats. Donna had been declared a fornicating whore. Having two men who were indistinguishable from each other was her main crime. The villagers had not been able to detect which man was her husband, since women did not travel without the comfort of marriage, apparently; so much for women’s lib in the thirty-fifth century on this planet. Despite her many protests, and they did number in the high numbers, Donna’s pleas of innocence meant that she was separated from her men and thrown into a cell of doubtful convenience and hospitality. The Doctor and David were placed in a cell together in order to give evidence against Donna later.

“Where are you? I feel your closeness!” she yelled out through the bars of her cell door.

“Donna?” came an answering call to her left. She could just make out the shape of a hand in the distance as it waved through the bars of another cell.

She felt much calmer now that she knew where they were and that they were safe. At least they were not being flogged this time. “What you in for?” asked a voice behind her in the shadows.

Donna’s heart sunk in despair as she turned to face the unknown person sharing the cell with her. She could just about make out the shape of her, and her inner senses told her this was a diminutive woman of a child-bearing age.

“Apparently I’m a whore,” Donna told her plainly. The other woman chuckled.

“Ain’t we all in their eyes?” she asked rhetorically. “I stole a pammer.”

“Is that good or bad?” Donna asked.

“Bad; very bad,” the woman replied. “I shall be executed for it.”

Donna gasped in surprise, “I’m sorry, so sorry.”

“Yeah, so am I! Can’t do nothing about it now though, can I?” She sniffed and wiped at her nose. “I’m Zolly, by the way.”

“I’m Donna. I came with the Doctor and David. They’re in the cell over there.” Donna pointed in its direction.

“You came with them?” Zolly asked in surprise. “I saw them through the window. I see the problem now.”

“I wish I did!” Donna huffed. “I’ve no idea why they’ve put me in here.”

“You don’t?” Zolly moved nearer. “You can’t pitch up with the same man twice like that and expect for it to go unpunished. There are laws against that sort of thing.”

“But they’re twins!” Donna protested. “Why is that so wrong?” 

“You really don’t know, do you?” Zolly eyed her with fascination. “It’s sacred, them are. Are you…?” She lifted a hand to touch a lock of Donna’s hair. “You are!” she gasped. “You’re one of them demons!”

Donna fought down her natural instinct to wallop the woman one! “I am not a demon! I’m a human being. A humanoid like you.”

“No, you’re not like me. I can’t summon fire and cast spells,” Zolly told her.

“Funnily enough, nor can I!” Donna snapped back, but was immediately ashamed of doing so. Zolly visibly trembled.

_What’s going on? Why all the shouting?_ A feeling of calm and peace was pushed towards her.

_I’m trapped with Zelda from the Terrahawks!_ Donna told them. _She thinks I’m a demon!_

Laughter filled her mind. _I wonder why? You’re a minx, but a demon? No!_

Donna chuckled too. _Thanks for that, Spaceman. I think I’ll sit here and try to sleep._

_That’s a good idea,_ he replied. _Try not to get into any trouble._

_Yeah, it must be hard being so sacred around here,_ she taunted him.

She almost felt his sniff as he replied; _Some of us have got it…_

~o~

“Doctor? Will she be alright without me? I mean… she’s never been without either of us before?” David asked him as they sat side by side on the bed provided.

The Doctor considered his answer carefully. “We’re near enough from here should anything happen, but this sacredness is a new one on me. I wish I could remember exactly what the wording was.”

David stood again and paced the room. “I’m not finding this easy. What if they… I can’t live without her!”

“You underestimate yourself,” the Doctor told him. “Why don’t you sit down so that we can work this out together?” 

“Before we do, I need to ask something; something a bit embarrassing,” David stammered out.

“I thought we’d been through this; I don’t swing that way,” the Doctor teased.

David smiled. “I know! It’s this baby business. I assume Donna told you we want one? Well, I’m worried that I’m not man enough for the job.” He gave a cough and risked a peep at the Doctor’s reaction, then carried on, “It’s not as if we haven’t tried enough times, or that Donna isn’t fertile. Good grief we know that one!” He sat down abruptly, and brought his voice even lower, “What do I do if I’m the problem? Should I…?” He sighed. “Would you help me find out? Without Donna knowing?” he asked.

The Doctor answered him with a grin, “No problem! But first, let’s get out of here?” And he pulled out his trusty screwdriver.

“Call that a screwdriver?” David playfully mocked, and pulled out his own version. “Is it me or is this turning into The Three Musketeers?” They shared a knowing look and headed for the door.

~o~


	19. Dark To The Light

“Did you deliberately let me be taken to that cell?” Donna accused the Doctor as soon as she could.

“Erm… I plead the Fifth Amendment!” he tried to answer her.

She whacked him hard on the arm. “You’re in the wrong flipping place to try that one, Sunshine!”

“Alright, officer, I confess I had forgotten about the sacred position of twins on Mount Quenson; I swear I did!” he tried to appease her. “Please believe me, oh fair demon.”

“Don’t you try and butter me up!” she huffed as he attempted to kiss her. “They called me a whore; a fornicating whore!”

“Well, part of it was true,” he said softly. “You’re not exactly a young maiden, are you? And I mean that without… Ouch! What did you do that for?!”

She glared at him. “You know very well why!”

“Cross examination not going well then?” David asked as he sauntered in. “I thought I felt some soreness.” He rubbed his arm absently.

“Good job I never touched you then, since I’d be defiling you or something!” Donna spat out at him.

“It’s not my fault those idiots think I’m too good to lay a finger on!” he griped back. “I thought you worshipped me, so what’s the problem?”

“There’s no problem; absolutely nothing, David! What harm can a spot of prison do me, or a bout of being dragged around come to that!” she snarled at him.

“We were in prison too!” he flared in self-defence. “So don’t play the hard done by act with me!”

“I’m the whore round here!” exclaimed Donna angrily.

“Are you?” David broke into a grin, which became a giggle and then spread into laughter. “Do you get much trade round here?”

“You saucy sod!” Donna went to thump him, but he caught her hand deftly, and pulled her body close to his. “Stop oozing sexiness at me; that’s not fair!” she complained.

He gazed down at her seductively. “I can’t avoid it. Us sacred beings do that sort of thing, oh fair demon!” He brought his hands to her waist and swayed her before pushing her lower body against his. “Are you trying to cast a spell on me?” he softly asked, ghosting his lips over hers.

“No!” she giggled. “But you seem to have your own magic wand.”

“Too right I do!” he beamed at her. “And I can let you play with it…”

“That’s it! That’s enough!” the Doctor interrupted David’s schmoozing. “Do you two always have to play this innuendo game?”

Donna reached up to caress David’s face. “Ignore Mr Grumpy-pants over there!” And she placed a sensual kiss on his lips.

“I thought his name was Captain Underpants,” David replied, and returned her kiss with enthusiasm.

“He got demoted for grumpiness,” she answered before pulling his head down to devour his mouth with ardour.

“Argh!” the Doctor exclaimed in frustration. “I wish you wouldn’t do this in the console room. Why do you always have to choose awkward places? This suit was clean on!”

“Yep, definitely grumpy,” David confirmed from his position on Donna’s mouth, his attention split between that and massaging her bottom onto him.

Donna turned her head to consider the Doctor, who had moved to stand beside her. She smiled at him. “Do you want all this to go to waste or shall we head for the bedroom?”

“Bedroom!” the Doctor instantly replied. He grabbed hold of her waist, pulling her in the direction of their room and she held onto David, taking him with them.

~o~

“Did you know you are kinky?” Donna asked the Doctor.

“Why’s that?” he asked in return. “Can’t a Time Lord enjoy making love without getting criticism?”

She repositioned herself on him. “It wasn’t criticism; just a statement really.”

He halted his upward thrusts. “Are you saying I shouldn’t like this?” he asked with a long groan.

“No, I wasn’t saying that.” She lowered her hand to brace herself against his chest. “It’s the colour more than anything.”

He began to move again harder, causing her to let out a delighted yelp. “I think it looks distinctive,” he reasoned.

“Yeah, I thought that,” David interjected. “Though purple isn’t really your colour. I think a mid-blue would have been better.”

“Thanks for that!” The Doctor knocked knuckles with David.

“Boys and their toys!” Donna scoffed. “Only you two could get geeky about being tied to the headboard with dog collars.”

“It is leather!” the Doctor pointed out, and David giggled.

She traced the line of the leather across his throat. “And your excuse for having diamonds in it is?” she probed as she tried to stop herself shuddering at his efforts. Parts of him were way too big at times.

“So that he knows it’s not yours, of course.” David grinned broadly at her.

“Mine?! I’m not wearing one of those things! You can get that thought right out of your head,” she snapped.

David moved behind her to cup her breasts, so she leant back against him. “Want to know what’s in my head right now?” he whispered in sultry tones.

The fresh wave of desire and lust crashed through the three of them, leaving them panting in its wake. “You’re bloody good!” Donna exclaimed.

“Am I?” he asked. She could feel his smug expression through their connection. “Must be all that sacredness peeking out.”

She didn’t get the chance to reply because the Doctor sent her yelping over the edge in a wonderful joint moment.

~o~

Donna stood by the bathroom sink and did a little victory dance before patting the TARDIS wall. “Thank you, darling! Thank you so much!” she cooed.

~o~

Donna was sitting in the kitchen with a freshly brewed pot of tea when the Doctor found her.

“You’re looking very satisfied with yourself,” he teased.

“Am I?” she grinned back. “Why I think I might be!”

“Hmm… do I detect a change in…” He leant forward, breathed deeply and licked her neck before beaming delightedly at her. “Why yes, I do believe you might be right!”

He gave her a congratulatory kiss and they grinned broadly at each other. “Should I double check first?” she asked. “Nope, don’t think I need to!” She held a small device up in her hand to show him.

A gasp made them swivel their gaze towards the door. “You really think you might be?” David asked. “I’m going to be a dad?”

“Yes!” Donna almost squeaked at him as she stood up.

David rushed forward to swoop her up into his arms, twirling her around before realising that you’re not supposed to do that to pregnant women. “Sorry! Didn’t mean to do that! Are you all right? Do you need to sit down? Should I fetch you something? Do you want a drink? Shall I make a cup of tea?” He halted and pressed a hand to his fluttering heart. “Oh my God! I’m going to be a dad! Me! I never thought this would finally happen! I need to sit down… I feel dizzy… I think I’m going to…” But the Doctor was already guiding him to sit in the nearest chair.

“That bodes well, doesn’t it?” he smirked over David’s head at Donna. “Just think how he’ll be at the birth!”

“I can’t wait!” she replied drily then she smirked back at the Doctor. “You’re going to have your hands full with the pair of us then!”

“Oh no!” he groaned in mock despair, causing the other two to laugh.


	20. Deep In The Dark

“So… the next question is: when do we tell your mum?” David dropped into the conversation.

Donna’s glee immediately dissipated. “Do we have to?” she asked the Doctor. “Can’t we keep this to ourselves just for now? I mean… I want to tell her, obviously I do, but I want to make sure, really sure, that everything is alright.”

“She wouldn’t crow if anything bad happened,” he replied, holding her cheek gently, “you know she isn’t that mean. But we’ll wait if that’s what you want.”

“Thank you,” she softly replied as he tenderly kissed her lips.

“Watch it! That’s the mother of my child you’re manhandling there,” David teased, making them all smile.

~o~

David and Donna waved off the Doctor, telling him they’d be alright while he headed for the Grigorson negotiations. They knew he could be more effective without them getting in the way, so they decided to have a nice meander around the town before meeting him later. Plus the fact that the local big-wigs had given them evil looks as they’d made their farewells, making them feel completely in the way. There were many silent promises to be careful.

What the heck?! A large man tackled Donna as she walked around the corner of a stone building. His full weight thrust her to the ground as she struggled to fight him off. “Geroff me!” she yelled as she thumped him with all her might.

“Get off her!” David cried, grabbing handfuls of the garment the oaf was wearing.

The man drew back his arm and punched David hard, knocking the wind out of him, and he crumpled. David was hit again, badly bruising his face and causing a stream of blood to trickle down. Donna attacked the man’s head, harnessing all her anger. “How dare you attack him!” she screamed into his ear.

He in turn took hold of her throat, squeezing none too gently. “Shut it, female! You have no right to be here!” he ordered her.

Donna tried to answer back, but her airway was too restricted. “Leave her alone! She’s done nothing wrong!” David tried to insist, but the brute leant back and hit him again before calling forward some other men.

~o~

Oh for the love of Pete! What was it with these Gringots, or whatever they called themselves? Donna glared at them from her position tied to a large ring hanging out of an even larger wall. Why did every Tom Dick or Harry feel like tying her up now?

“It’s my fault,” David answered the question that was buzzing around in her head. “They did this to punish me!”

Donna tried to pull her binds towards him in order to comfort him, but found that she couldn’t. “It isn’t, darling, honestly it isn’t!” she replied.

His gaze beseeched her to forgive him, as he stood tied to the opposite wall. “It is! I shouldn’t have been so stupid as to risk you being harmed in any way,” he insisted.

Her heart went out to him. “David, please! This wasn’t your fault; it was that horrible thug’s!” she cried out. He only quietened when she mouthed ‘I love you’ to him.

~o~

Thank goodness the Doctor eventually arrived, fresh from the many arguments that had taken place.

 _Are you okay? Did they hurt you?_ He pushed passed the guards that accompanied him to get to her.

_I’m fine! We’re both fine!_ she instantly reassured him, worried by the strain that played about his features, and knowing he would not have found the negotiations easy.

He tentatively pressed a concerned hand to her stomach. _And the baby?_ He gazed intently at her.

_Fine!_ She smiled for the first time in hours. Wave upon wave of relief hit her as he hugged her closely to him, along with a little something extra. _Down tiger!_ She giggled in his mind. _Anyone would think you’d missed me!_

He growled back in her mind, causing a delicious reaction in her body.

~o~

He trawled his hand tenderly down her cheek. “I’m sorry I took so long,” he whispered softly. “I came as soon as I could.”

“I know; don’t fret,” she said, kissing his lips desperately. She brought her hands up to embrace his neck, pulling him slowly closer. She felt his resolve to keep her at bay snap, and he opened his mouth hungrily, moving over her lips to drink every last drop of her. His hands worked their way down her back and onto her bottom, lifting her slightly against him. “I won’t break! Promise!” she murmured as he captured her lips once more.

“Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?” a voice from behind them asked.

They broke apart and turned their joint scornful gaze on to the man standing ten feet away from them. “You!” Donna blurted out, feeling her anger rise considerably as she eyed their earlier attacker.

The Doctor pushed himself in front of her protectively; his expression was one she knew all too well. It was the full Oncoming Storm. “What do you want, Jedson?” he asked icily.

“Like you don’t know!” Jedson replied. “I’ve seen how you’ve fallen over yourself to get back to this female, and I had to come down here to find out why!” Jedson gave a hollow laugh. “Not much to look at, is she? Or is the choice a bit limited in your neck of the woods?”

_No! Leave him!_ the Doctor directed her, with a light touch on her hand. “What do you really want, Jedson? If you just wanted to insult me you could have done that earlier up in the chamber.”

“Oh dear! You caught me out, Doctor! And I was having such a lot of fun too,” Jedson pouted at him. “Your female put up quite a fight earlier. I was tempted to try her out for myself; then I realised that she was connected to you.” He flitted a glance at David before returning to the Doctor.

David did his best to glare at Jedson too, but his eye was swollen, lessening the effect.

_Please! Get me away from him!_ Donna begged. The Doctor took her hand.

“Just state your conditions for releasing us, and we’ll go,” the Doctor spoke calmly. “Or are my charms too hard for you to resist?”

“Hand over the female and you are free to go. The other one will be fed to the pigs later, once we’ve had our fun!” Jedson grinned.

Suddenly Jedson sprang forward and began to twitch violently. As he slumped to the floor David stood behind him, holding out his sonic screwdriver. “That was shocking!” he quipped. “Quite hair raising in fact!”

Donna groaned in dismay. The Doctor stepped over Jedson’s unconscious body and dragged Donna after him. “That was an electrifying performance, that’s for sure.” He beamed broadly at David, and pulled him into a hug.

“Can we just get out of here, please?” Donna asked.

They each took hold of an arm and escorted her out through the door.

~o~

“What do I get for rescuing you?” David asked cheekily. He rubbed himself against her naked form, knowing he was leaving sparks of desire in his wake.

“You tell me, since you obviously have a plan,” she replied, trying not to show the effect his body had on her but failing.

“Don’t believe him if he says he doesn’t!” the Doctor chuckled next to her throat. “I know exactly what he wants.”

“Do you?” she asked before allowing him to fervently kiss her. As soon as the Doctor released her mouth David took over, possessing her as much as he could.

“Are you okay? Will it hurt?” he asked gently.

“You’ll know if it does. Don’t worry my love.” She tenderly caressed his battered face, and placed gentle kisses on his wounds.

The Doctor placed a possessive hand on her waist. “And me? Am I allowed to worry?”

She turned to kiss him again, letting him grasp her head in his hands. She felt David come up behind and press into her; she responded by bending, allowing him access to enter her properly. She gasped as their connection flared, and then kissed her way down the Doctor’s body slowly, starting with his throat. Every fibre in his being keened towards her, sending shivers of desire through them via her lips. He moaned softly when she reached his groin, as she sought to reward him with special attention. Both men groaned loudly as she showed them how grateful she was for their love. To have this much control over two men was wildly erotic; and they let her have complete control. She had never thought doing this would be this wonderful! She had barely time to acknowledge the feelings pulsing through them, when they all yelped loudly.

“Bloody hell! Can we do that again?” David exclaimed in delight.

“Do you seriously want to go through another day like today?” she asked him in mock astonishment.

“We could always rescue you from burning the breakfast,” the Doctor gleefully suggested, and got a playful smack on the arm for his cheek.

“As long as I get to rescue you two in return,” Donna retorted.

“Is that what we’re calling it now?” David smirked. “In that case, can I book a good rescue later on, please?”

Donna lightly patted his cheek. “For you, darling, anything!”

He pinned her to the bed in reply, claiming part of his promise.

~o~


	21. Keep To The Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** This is posted in order to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! And I'll forewarn you that the next chapter (number 22) is more than a bit upsetting in case you want to skip it for now.

It quickly became apparent that a pregnant Donna was not a happy Donna. Once morning sickness wore off tiredness took over; so it certainly didn’t help when Donna found a hidden letter. She had found the letter that Madame de Pompadour wrote for the Doctor.

“What exactly is this?” she asked, thrusting the letter under his nose.

“You know very well what it is,” the Doctor told her calmly as possible. “It’s the letter Reinette left me.”

“What I don’t know is why you’ve kept it!” she huffed loudly at him.

He fought down his angry response. “We’ve been through this before. I told you what happened with her. It was years and years ago. Why are you dragging it up to beat me with now?”

“Why?!” She looked as though she’d go ballistic at any second. “I’m standing here, pregnant, needing your love and attention, and you have the nerve to ask why!”

“Donna!” He moved to sooth his hands down her arms. “I hadn’t even met you when I… when the letter came into my hands. It was bad enough that Rose kept… Look, just tell me what the matter is. You’ve never worried about my past before.”

“You’ve kept this, hidden away, and you pretend you don’t know how it affects me! How could you?” she asked him tearfully.

“Oh Donna!” he exclaimed softly. “Why are you so frightened? She died such a long time ago, and I’ll never go back there, so there’s nothing to fear.” He pulled her to him and stroked her hair. “Please believe me; I don’t want to lose you.” He placed delicate kisses on her face.

He took the letter out of her trembling hand and pocketed it before caressing her body, murmuring sweet nothings into her ear, reminding her how much she meant to him.

~o~

David and the Doctor decided a visit home to Sylvia might calm Donna down; or it might make her realise which side her bread was buttered, it was hard to determine which one would happen.

Sylvia opened the door to find all three of them standing there. “Donna!” she gleefully cried before ushering them in. They made their way into the kitchen, allowing Sylvia to put the kettle on. “How have you all been?” Sylvia asked. She was struck by the fact that anyone would be hard pressed to work out which one her daughter was married to; a thought that worried her deeply.

Both the Doctor and David looked at Donna expectantly. “Go on,” David encouraged her.

Donna fiddled nervously with the sleeves of her top. “Mum, I have got some news for you. I… erm… I’m pregnant.”

“Pregnant?!” Sylvia repeated with joy. “Oh Donna, what wonderful news! How far gone are you?”

“I’m about three months now,” Donna replied, having perked up a bit at Sylvia’s keenness.

“How lovely!” Sylvia sighed. “And how’s dad taking it?”

“Who me?” David spluttered. “I think it’s terrific! I can’t wait!”

“He really is excited about it, Sylvia,” the Doctor confirmed. “I’ve had him dragging me to look at baby stuff in all sorts of places.”

“Oi! You were keen to look too!” David pouted at him angrily. “Our son is going to have the best of everything.”

“A boy?! You’re having a boy?” Sylvia turned her question on Donna. “When did you find out?”

“Oh I…” Donna blushed. “We found out quite early on, during the first scan; but something in me told me it was a boy.” She exchanged a glance with the Doctor that Sylvia didn’t miss.

“I see!” she replied cautiously. “How do you feel about having a baby in your life, Doctor?”

“Oh, I’m fine with it,” he insisted readily. He went to take hold of Donna’s hand but managed to stop himself in time. “He’ll be a bonny baby!”

Sylvia smiled smugly at Donna. “Yes, I think he will be!”

~o~

Donna was finding the lack of touching between her and her men a little trying. They were both holding back in front of Sylvia, particularly the Doctor; and Donna found that she was missing it dreadfully. At the first opportunity, she grabbed hold of David’s arm as he appeared from the bathroom and forced him into the lounge.

“Take me! Take me now!” Donna ordered.

“What?!” David replied. “Now? Are you serious?”

“Yes! If you loved me you’d do this for me” she insisted.

“This can’t be right. You never react like this. And since when did you play the ‘if you love me’ card?” He glared at her. “No, I’m not doing it!” He shook his head and removed her hand from where it was resting.

“Why?” she cried with a sob. “You never complain at other times, so why change your tune now?” Tears silently made their way down her cheeks.

He tenderly cupped her face. “Why? Because this isn’t you talking. This is something else that we need to talk about later; later when we’re alone.”

“Don’t mind me,” Wilf uttered from his chair in the corner of Sylvia’s lounge. “My wife came out with such stuff when she was pregnant too.”

The pair of them blushed a deep crimson. “Sorry, Wilf,” David mumbled. “Didn’t see you there.”

“Obviously not!” Wilf chuckled. “Why don’t you go and have a lie down on your old bed, Donna? You might feel better after a nap.”

“What do you say? Do you want to lie down?” David asked her. “I think it might do you some good.”

“No!” She shook her head. “I just want to go home!”

“In that case, we will,” he told her softly. Relief filled him as he realised that she no longer considered Sylvia’s house as her home. He had partly worried that she might want to stay there with her mother and grandfather.

~o~

“Come on Donna, lie down and have a nap,” David ordered her as soon as they entered their bedroom. “You need to rest!”

Donna flopped down onto the bed and scowled at him. “Can’t you do something to help me sleep?”

“You want me to knock you out?!” he asked in shocked tones. “Are you sure?”

“No, you know I wasn’t thinking of that!” she admonished him. “I was offering….” She reached over to fondle him. “...to finish what we started earlier.”

“At least you’re doing in that in the right place in more ways than one this time,” he choked out as he felt himself respond to her touch. He called out silently to the Doctor to ask if he wanted to join in.

“I thought this would be on the cards,” the Doctor stated as he walked through the door. As soon as he caressed Donna’s cheek she raised a hand and fondled him too.

“Is this what a girl has to do to get attention round here?” she purred in sultry tones at the two of them.

“It helps,” the Doctor answered. He lifted her chin so that he could kiss her. “Isn’t it time I married you again?” he whispered. “I think we need to renew our connection.”

She smiled at him. “Oh yes! I’d love to be connected with you again.”

They stripped each other of their clothing, and ended up with the Doctor seated on the bed and Donna straddling his lap whilst she held David. Holding her back to him, the Doctor eased her down and David passionately kissed her mouth, bringing himself down to kneel in front of her. As always, to be between the two men was powerfully erotic and their connection blazed into life, pulsing desire through all three of them. “Don’t worry, I have you,” the Doctor whispered reassuringly to her as he tenderly kissed her neck. His hands were causing waves of arousal to fan out from her breasts, as David’s hands worked much lower.

She tried to answer, but her emotions were whipped away from her by a mutually forceful orgasm, causing them to cry out together. Their love was so overwhelming at that moment she never wanted it to end. What better thing could you imagine before going to sleep?

~o~

“How did your conversation with Sylvia go?” David asked the Doctor as soon as he could.

“I think she worked with the Gestapo in a former life,” the Doctor sighed. “She was asking me questions about everything!”

David caressed Donna’s sleeping head as she lay next to him on their bed. “What sort of thing was she asking then?”

“What didn’t she?! Let me see: when did we find out, where were we, do I feel left out, will the baby affect my sleep, have I been around babies before, what do I think of you, does Donna ever muddle us up, erm… loads of things!” the Doctor told him. He reached out a hand and stroked Donna’s hair too. “I think she suspects something.”

“I bet she does!” David chuckled. “Doesn’t matter though, does it?”

“Oh no!” the Doctor readily agreed. “As long as she doesn’t upset Donna she can suspect us of whatever she likes.”

They both kissed Donna on the cheek and let her continue her peaceful nap.

~o~

As Donna slept she felt herself swim to meet her child. It amazed her how fast he was growing and how much of his body was recognisable as a proper baby. Her love for him was tangible now. She wondered if he were aware of her and her love for him yet. If nothing else she wanted him to feel love. She sent him silent messages promising him that.

Then she felt the tender press of loving lips on her head, and she knew there would always be love in their lives.


	22. And The Dark Came Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** have your tissues at the ready.

Donna was becoming frightened to step out onto any planet. The reaction she received varied from being ordained as a fertility priestess (okay, that one hadn’t been too bad!) up to being the bringer of all evil; and that was when they didn’t want to tie her up and threaten the Doctor and David. It was becoming decidedly annoying. She did not like such infuriating people taking away her enjoyment of everyday planet saving and modestly being a heroine.

She was also sick of staying on board the TARDIS. The poor TARDIS had done her best to entertain Donna, bless her, but enough was enough, and Donna was suffering from cabin fever! For this reason alone she had stepped out on this planet for a breath of fresh air.

A little man had immediately ran up to her, squawking away something along the lines of, “You go walk come aline with me! Pass road, much fast!”

Donna had gawped at him in puzzlement. But she had allowed him to lead her to a small village, and into a hut. Within it were several people who seemed to be hiding from something. They didn’t look too different to her, but they all stared at her nevertheless. “Why you belly rounded?” someone who was obviously a child asked her.

Donna smiled back in reply. “My baby lives in there, waiting to come out.”

There were a lot of ‘ooh’s to this answer, and Donna laughed when the child had touched her stomach cautiously. “New life!” the child said in wonder.

That opened a flood gate and they all wanted to touch her stomach. “Have you seen my man?” Donna asked them, doing a gesture to denote ‘tall’ as she asked the question.

This time there were ‘ahh’ sounds. “Him long streak!” said a planet person, and Donna had to stifle a giggle at the description. Instead she nodded enthusiastically. “Him battle Malum!” the person told her ardently.

“The what?!” Donna demanded. “Did you say ‘mailman’?”

The planet people looked afraid. “Malum scary; big teeth, ugly eyes!” one of them told her as they did a pouncing gesture.

“Has this thing killed any of your people?” Donna gently asked.

“Many dead! Crunched ‘til gone,” the same person told her, but the other people nodded knowingly.

Donna began to ask another question, but she suddenly felt a searing pain down one side of her body. She stumbled alarmingly, knowing it wasn’t her child causing the problem. Realisation brought tears to her eyes. “Please! Take me to ‘him long streak’!” she begged them. “He needs me!”

Her little travel guide looked reluctant, so she tried again, “He is my man, my mate, my husband… what word do you give each other here?”

“Eigin,” offered a different person. “Eigin long streak.”

“Yes, yes!” Donna happily repeated. “I need to go to my eigin long streak!”

Her little travel guide took hold of her arm and led her, somewhat reluctantly, to where he knew the Malum was.

~o~

David groaned loudly. This wasn’t supposed to happen to him; he wasn’t supposed to die, not like this on some insignificant planet that had only the basic means to help him. And where was Donna? He wanted Donna!

“You back in bed again?” Donna playfully chastised him, bringing relief to his ears and his shattered soul. She fervently wiped away her tears before she reached his bedside, but he saw the gesture nonetheless. He felt her tender kiss on his face and he tried hard to smile back in return.

“It got me,” he hoarsely informed her. “Bloody big thing! Before the Doctor could stun it with the sonic.”

“No way am I climbing up on that bed if that’s what you’re thinking,” she teased. She stroked her hand across his forehead. “Something else is wrong! Tell me what I can do to help.”

He saw her agitation as she fought her acceptance of the inevitable. “I’ve lost too much blood, I can’t…,” he faltered. These were going to be his last moments with her, and he didn’t want them ruined with sentimental mush.

She leant forward, straining to hear him. “What do you mean you can’t? Oh my God! No! You don’t mean that! Tell me you don’t mean that!” she begged fruitlessly. But all he did was gently smile.

“Where is he?” boomed out behind them before the Doctor appeared by his side.

He quickly began scanning David, but David tried to bat away his efforts. “No good,” he tried to say, but the words never came out.

“We have to try! I have to try!” the Doctor insisted. “We’ve got two sonic screwdrivers here remember!”

David glanced down at the floor that held a large pool of his precious blood. “No good,” he tried to repeat, but his eyes were fluttering with the effort to keep them open.

Donna stood clinging to his hand. “Don’t go! I love you!” The fact that she was openly sobbing didn’t matter now.

She felt his answering ‘I love you’ just as his heart muscles seized under the strain and he went into cardiac arrest. She wasn’t aware she was screaming until much later.

~o~

The next few days drifted by on a cloud generated by morphine. Donna knew she shouldn’t be there, she suspected where she was supposed to be was not a good place, so she didn’t fight it.

The Doctor was very relieved that she hadn’t beaten off his well-meaning intentions to help her by drugging her. The downside was that the TARDIS was incredibly silent without her; without him. It was unbelievably hard to have him ripped from their lives like this. Why hadn’t he thought to get the TARDIS first? Why had he allowed himself to be distracted away by those grateful people standing in the wrong place? Why…. Why?

David’s body lay in a makeshift morgue, freshly washed and wrapped, waiting to placed upon a funeral pyre in some significant place, or within a hole in the ground, whichever Donna wanted. He found that he couldn’t care at that moment; instead he felt numb and frightened. David’s death also meant that Donna’s would probably follow soon after, and that fact frightened him to his very core. What would he do without her? Without both of them? He really didn’t want to find out yet.

He made himself a cup of tea and returned to his vigil by Donna’s bedside. Nothing else mattered in the universe any more.

~o~

“Can we have the funeral on Manustela?” Donna eventually asked. “It was his favourite place.”

“Of course,” the Doctor readily agreed, remembering how much fun they had had on that world. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”

She had turned her watery gaze onto him. “It doesn’t matter, does it? It still has to be done. And then… can we put his ashes with Dad? A part of him needs to rest where he’d be loved.”

The Doctor had tenderly embraced her. “Wherever you want, my love; as long as some part remains here with us.” She’d nodded as he’d held her tight.

~o~

Their first attempt at making love since David’s death had not gone well. There had been many tears from both of them, but Donna in particular missed his added connection. She knew the Doctor needed her and that fact, plus her son, kept her going during the times she felt like giving up. “By loving each other we keep him alive,” the Doctor told her, and she believed him, she really did, but it didn’t make it easier.

For his own part guilt made the Doctor need her body more and more, as if he had to physically make it up to her. And then he felt guilty for desiring her so much when she was unable to respond normally. Thank goodness Donna understood all of that without him needing to explain. For those precious intimate moments she was able to switch off her emotions and allow their bodies’ needs to overtake her, but she paid for it when the raw emotion seeped back into her conscious mind. For that brief oasis of lust she cried out with sexual satisfaction, urging the Doctor’s body on as he thrust into her as gently as he could. All the time he cradled and nurtured her body, keeping its little passenger safe and secure. What he loved about those moments was the connection that grew between him and the boy. He tried not to gloat about the fact the boy would call him ‘father’, but it was a good compensation. It had been a wise choice to help.

~o~

As the end of the pregnancy neared the Doctor offered, yet again, to take Donna to see her mother; but Donna didn’t want to go through the explanations until she felt strong enough to cope or the baby successfully distracted her mother from asking questions. He understood perfectly.

He had taken her back to Manustela, to stroll along a beach there and watch the two suns rise above the ocean. It was a breath-taking view. Donna had gone to paddle in the clear water when she suddenly stood stock still and paled significantly. “Doctor!” she cried. “Something’s happened!”

“What sort of something? Have you trod on anything, or been stung?” he asked.

“No, you prawn! Something went ‘bang’!” she yelled back.

“Bang?” he frowned. “Nothing in the water could go bang!”

“Not in the water, dumbo! The bang happened in me!” she hissed at him.

“Oh. OH!” He leapt into the water beside her. “I’ll carry you back to the TARDIS.”

She batted away his arms. “Don’t be so daft! It doesn’t mean I’ll go instantly into labour. I can walk!” she insisted. But she let him assist her back to safety.

He tried to make light of the situation, but he was frightened. This didn’t feel right. Several hours later, just as the head was crowning, he noticed that her hands had started to glow. “Donna, I want you to try and concentrate on the baby. We need you to calm down,” he advised from his low position, trying to keep his voice neutral.

“I can’t!” Donna puffed. “I can feel it overwhelming me!”

“Not long now, Donna, and he’ll be safe,” he told her. “Try and hold on.” But the baby had begun to glow a golden colour too, and it was beginning to look as though the choice might be Donna or the baby, rather than both surviving.


	23. The Darkest Night Of All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Please note that this might make you deeply unhappy (with me). I sobbed and sobbed as I wrote it!!

“Please Doctor! Promise me! Let our son take first priority. Let him live! It doesn’t matter about me!” she begged him as pain racked her body. She let out a long scream as she felt it try to consume her. “Don’t let him die! Please!” she sobbed.

He pressed his fingers to her forehead, trying in vain to calm her. “Okay. I promise, my love!” he reluctantly agreed.

Working quickly, he helped the baby emerge and hastily clamped and cut the cord. Immediately the boy began to stop glowing. The Doctor smiled gently at him, taking in the sight of his perfect bow of a mouth, his tuft of dark hair and inquisitive hazel eyes. He chuckled and turned to exclaim, “Oh Donna! He’s beautiful!”

She managed to give a sort of happy sigh, then a blaze of white-hot flames engulfed her as he watched helplessly. He felt her dying cry of love as her light went out.

~o~

Frantic knocking brought Sylvia to find out what the problem was. Expecting to be greeted by the sight of Wilf without his key, she opened her front door to be faced with a man closely clutching a new born baby wrapped tightly in a blanket. "David?" she asked in surprise. "What's going on?"

"I'm not David" the Doctor told her forlornly. "He... He died much earlier. He was badly injured, putting too much strain on his heart and… and… he…"

Sylvia stared back at him in shock. "But where's Donna? Is she alright?" She tried to look for Donna behind him in vain.

He shook his head in distress. "We had been on... She went into labour and before the baby was born he was suffering. I did all I could to help her but she wanted the baby to be alright.” He cried openly, unable to hold in the tears, “The metacrisis came back. I fought so hard… but she knew. Without David she never stood a chance. I'm sorry, so sorry."

But Sylvia had already begun to silently scream, "No!"

He tried to movie forward to comfort her, but the baby called out to him mentally, taking his breath momentarily away.

"You poor man!" Sylvia caught him out by sympathising, and he very nearly collapsed through the doorway.

"Help me!" he softly begged, so Sylvia gently drew him into her world.

~o~

Some of Donna’s ashes were buried with her father, along with much of David’s; but a special urn sat in the TARDIS garden containing both of them, together, just as they would have wished. Though the TARDIS managed to move it to wherever the boy was playing, as if they were watching over him too.

It had been gut-wrenching at first, followed by annoying, and finally moved into comforting country for the Doctor. He needed to know they were around, somewhere, and caught himself often talking to them during nap time. It also lessened his guilt when he felt happy with their son. He felt they’d have approved.

~o~

"Did she ever know how much you loved her?" Sylvia asked him once.

He had smiled a gentle smile back at her. "Yes, I got my chance. I was luckier than most."

It was one of the few times she had ever hugged him.

Every now and then the Doctor called in on Sylvia and let the boy stay with her and Wilf. She absolutely doted on him. Her ready acceptance of him, of them both, overwhelmed him; even when he turned up on her doorstep dying. Sylvia had understood his need to be with his family and she had waited for the new ‘him’ with a welcoming pot of tea.

But eventually Sylvia, like Wilf had, succumbed to cancer, and there were no more ties to bind them to earth. He and the boy wandered the universe together for a while. That is, until he returned to find Amelia Pond.

~o~

“Father, this is Venice!” Tiro exclaimed excitedly as he drew open the TARDIS doors. “When are we?”

“Sixteenth century; I’ll be more precise in a moment,” the Doctor readily answered. “Why? Are you hoping to catch sight of Casanova, Tiro?” he teased.

“No, not him,” the boy admitted. “I was hoping to see…”

“Who?” the Doctor asked, but his line of questioning was interrupted by Amy appearing in the console room.

“Father, can I explore St Mark’s while you, Amy and Rory investigate all that romantic nonsense?” he asked. “I need to top up my Catholic religious education.”

Before the Doctor could reply, the boy was out the door and heading towards Piazza San Marco. If the TARDIS was being kind to him he knew this was the time period his parents had visited here, and he should be able to view his mother. He thanked the fact that she had kept a meticulous diary of her time on board the TARDIS (and the fact it had been kept for him).

Creeping through the back streets he finally came upon a small open square where a ginger-haired woman sat all alone with her thoughts.

His hearts clenched with despair when he saw her. He had hoped he would get to observe her longer before she noticed him; but she had noticed him almost immediately. Realising he had nothing to lose, he moved forward until he could smell her perfume.

“Are you… Donna?” he asked slowly and hesitantly. Many thoughts whirled through his brain. Should he admit that he ‘knew’ her? Was she aware who he was? Could she sense his connection to her? He felt his hearts booming in his chest. He couldn’t keep his gaze from her.

“Yes,” she answered as softly as he had spoken. “Can I help you?”

“I came…,” he heard his voice break slightly on the words as he fought his emotions; “…I came to see my father.”

“Your father? Do I know him? Am I right in thinking you haven’t…?” She gasped at him in realisation. “You’ve never actually seen him, have you?”

Sensing his father was suddenly too near for comfort, he fled down a side alley, but he crept back to spy on them.

This time he held in his gasp of surprise with a mighty effort. He had heard from his grandmother how alike they were, his father, ‘uncle’ and him; but to see them in the flesh was another matter. And to see his biological father standing a few metres away was almost too much to bear. He watched his mother greet his father with such love it was beyond his endurance. He silently wept.

~o~

“Are you going to tell me?” the Doctor asked his son’s sullen form. “Tiro, I know where you might have gone.”

“Do you?” The boy lifted his angst-ridden eyes to regard him. “I thought you were too busy to notice!”

“What makes you think that?” the Doctor asked, but the boy darted his eyes towards the part of the ship were Amy and Rory were making tea at that precise moment.

“Nothing!” Tiro shrugged. “I’m just going to…”

But the Doctor halted his progress by grabbing his arm. “She meant the universe to me, and I promised I’d keep you alive. I’ve never regretted that. She loved you more than life; I hope you know just how much.” Seeing the boy tear up he released his hold on him. Hearing the oncoming voices of the ship’s other inhabitants, he whispered, “Come and tell me later, will you? Tell me if you saw her, and what she said.”

The boy nodded quickly, and fled to his room, running passed the other two.

“What’s got into him, Doctor? Does he think he missed out on something today?” Amy asked with a snort.

“Yes, Pond,” the Doctor answered distractedly. “That’s exactly how he feels.”

“At least he missed out on all that death,” Rory offered. “He probably had a nice stroll among the tourists.”

“Yes,” the Doctor answered, drawing out the single syllable. “Excuse me for just one moment,” he said, and made a hasty exit before heading for the boy’s room.

“What do you think that was all about?” Rory asked Amy in puzzlement.

“No idea! Probably to do with being the last of your kind again,” Amy pondered. “That Signora Calvierri had him worried for a while.”

“But the boy is his son! How can that make the Doctor the last of his kind?” Rory protested.

“He wasn’t with him the first time I met the Doctor; he just looks after him for his grandmother. The boy’s an orphan,” Amy insisted.

“You never said!” Rory accused her. “What is the boy’s real name then?”

Amy thought carefully for a second. “Leerling, if I remember correctly; I heard him called that once. Though the Doctor never mentions it, or what happened to his real parents. Strange that! But he won’t say why.”

“I’m sure he’ll tell us one day,” Rory consoled her, and they sipped their tea together.

~o~

The Doctor knocked on Tiro’s door, and entered almost immediately. The boy lay on his bed, writing frantically in a book, but he stopped and sat up straight on seeing the Doctor.

“Well, David Noble, do you have something to tell me?” the Doctor asked as he crossed over to the bed before sitting down.

“Am I in trouble? Are you displeased with me? You never call me by my real name usually.” Tiro worriedly gazed at him.

“Don’t I?” the Doctor asked, knowing full well that he didn’t as a rule.

“No. Nanny…,” Tiro caught himself, “I mean, my grandmother did, but you won’t say it. Not that I’m saying I hate being called Tiro or anything, as I like the Latin connection; and it makes me think of Pompeii…” His voice trailed off when he saw the hurt look on the Doctor’s face. He took a deep breath before blurting out, “I saw her today, you were right. It was just after the both of you had freed the city of something evil smelling; it was a bit hard to recognise who was who or which was which.” He gave the Doctor a sad smile. “But I could tell.”

“I take it you spoke to her? That explains why she hugged us so tightly. She wouldn’t say who she had seen, but she guessed what its implications were.” He patted Tiro’s knee. “Knowing that, she still tried hard to have you,” he said with an impressed whisper. “She was very brave.”

“Does this mean you don’t blame me, Father?” Tiro asked him hesitantly. He sniffed back a tear. “I wanted to see you with her for myself.”

The Doctor cupped his face lovingly. “How could I stop you ever having what your hearts desire? You are my own flesh and blood!”

“Thank you, Father!” Tiro cried, throwing his arms around the Doctor’s neck.

The Doctor tenderly caressed Tiro’s head. “Just one thing before I deal with the love birds… let me protect you in future, David Noble, will you?”

Tiro readily agreed as he felt his father’s love flood his senses.

~o0o~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some sequel fics with Tiro if anyone is interested in reading them.


End file.
